


Chuck vs. the Sound of Music

by quistie64



Series: The Sound of Music [2]
Category: Chuck (TV), Sound of Music (1965)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Musicals, Parody
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-03-27
Updated: 2012-05-05
Packaged: 2017-11-02 14:41:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 126,678
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/370114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/quistie64/pseuds/quistie64
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chuck Bartowski, nerd extraordinaire, is a man with seven children.  Sarah Walker, spy extraordinaire, must protect them all from Fulcrum's evil designs. Warning: there will be singing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The nun ran as fast as she could, habit billowing behind, making her look like a black ghostly specter gliding in the darkness. Her feet pounded against the cobblestone courtyard as she sprinted after the woman she had been trying to find for three months now. She was used to running in five inch high heels, so the black, sensible shoes she currently wore were not the things that were slowing her down. It was the darned habit she was wearing. The long black skirt kept wrapping around her legs and had nearly sent her flying head first onto the ground more than once in the last few minutes. Looking on the bright side, it was easy to hide her gun and knives under all that material. She could really do without the wimple, though, which felt like it was choking her most of the time. And the black veil pulling at her head made it ache by the end of every day. At least they didn’t make her cut her hair as long as she promised never to go out of her cell without her head coverings.

Sarah Walker pushed these thoughts from her mind and tried to focus on the task before her. The CIA had sent her undercover as a nun to Nonsuch Abbey in rural Northern California in order to track down a female Fulcrum agent who had gone into hiding there. It had taken Sarah three months to figure out which of the nuns was not really a nun...well besides her, anyway.

She found out who the Fulcrum agent was by sheer dumb luck since this woman was as careful about being exposed as she was. Not ten minutes earlier, Sarah had been coming back from evening prayers and on her way to her cell when she overheard a woman talking in a low voice. The fact that no one answered her during this conversation let Sarah know that the woman was speaking into a cell phone. Cell phones were definitely not part of a nun’s kit. Rosary beads, yes. Cell phone, no. Sarah had slowed her steps, clasped her hands in front of as she clutched her prayer book and lowered her head. Surreptitiously, she had turned her head to the left and spotted the woman hiding behind one of the stone pillars which stood at regular intervals around the edge of the courtyard.

Her blood ran cold when she overheard the names Tommy Delgado and Bryce Larkin. _Crap!_ Her superiors suspected her partner, Bryce, of being a double agent, and now what she had just heard confirmed their suspicions. This was going to splash back on her, she was sure. But first, she had to apprehend the Fulcrum agent.

She had dropped her prayer book onto the ground so that she could stoop down to pick it up while at the same time snaking her hand up under her habit to grab the Smith & Wesson from the holster strapped to her thigh. The incongruity of a nun carrying a concealed weapon was not lost on her as she reminded herself that she was still a CIA agent, not a nun.

As she stood up slowly she tried to hide the gun behind the prayer book so that the Fulcrum agent wouldn’t see it. Unfortunately, the burnished stainless steel caught the light of the moon and was noticed by her quarry who then took off in a dead sprint toward the front gates of the abbey. Sarah chased after her and hoped desperately to simply catch her and not have to shoot her. It just seemed like bad form for discharge a firearm in a place of worship and sanctuary.

Sarah knew the Fulcrum agent would have to head down the main stairs to get to the front gates. She was thankful for the hours she had spent wandering around the abbey the last few months, exploring every corridor, nook and cranny in the place. Rather than follow the Fulcrum agent down the stairs, Sarah took a hard left into a corridor and then a quick right to a door which she quickly opened, stepped through and closed behind her. She whacked the light switch with her hand. Three dim, bare bulbs made weak circles of yellow light on the ground, just enough for her to see where she was going. Before her was a corridor that sloped down the hill toward the front gate, bypassing the stairs. She could run full speed and not have to slow down for steps. So that she could run even faster, she gathered the skirt of the habit up around her waist with the hand not carrying the gun, freeing her legs from the constricting fabric. _That’s better_ , she thought as she raced toward her destination.

She reached the end of the corridor and slid to a stop at the closed door before her. She took two big gulps of air to steady herself and then slowly opened the door just a crack. If her calculations were correct, this door opened up at the bottom of the stairs the Fulcrum agent would be descending. Peeking through the crack, she spied the woman in identical dress as herself, navigating the stone steps as quickly as she could.

She thought about stepping out from behind the door, pointing her gun at her quarry and commanding her to “freeze.” However, with the momentum the woman had from coming down the steps and her being so close to her escape through the front gates, Sarah knew she would try to barrel through her. So, with the element of surprise on her side, she decided to barrel into the enemy agent instead.

Sarah waited, ready to pounce. Just as the target stepped off the last step, Sarah flung the door open and launched herself, flying directly at her, habit flowing behind, making her look a bit like a flying squirrel. She put her shoulder square into the woman’s midsection and wrapped her arms around her prey, tackling her to the ground like Sarah was an NFL linebacker who had just sacked the opposing team’s quarterback. Both women grunted as they hit the cobblestones just inside the front gate. Unfortunately, when they hit the ground, the gun was knocked from Sarah’s grip and skittered out of reach.

The Fulcrum agent wiggled out of Sarah’s grasp, crawled a few feet away and reached under her own habit. She grabbed a knife secreted on her person, turned and slashed it in Sarah’s direction. Fortunately, Sarah was ready for it and grabbed the woman’s wrist. With an angry twist, the enemy agent’s arm was wrenched behind her, forcing her hand open. The knife dropped harmlessly to the cobblestone with a clatter. Sarah gave the wrist another good, hard twist, wrenching it so that the woman’s hand was up between her shoulder blades. She cursed in pain when Sarah kicked the back of the woman’s knees, forcing them to buckle. The Fulcrum agent’s knees hit the stones with a sickening thud. From this kneeling position, Sarah pushed the woman in the back with the hand that gripped the wrist. The woman crashed face down, Sarah’s knee in her back.

“Hey!” Sarah growled. “This is an abbey. No cursing.” To put a fine point on her command, she hiked up on the woman’s arm just a little more until she heard a loud pop. The woman screamed in pain, but this time dare not curse.

Sarah winced but said with no concern in her voice whatsoever, “Ooo. That’s gotta hurt.” Knowing that the woman was now thoroughly subdued she reached under her habit once more and grabbed as set of plastic wrist ties. She put the wrist tie in her mouth while she took hold of the woman’s free arm by the wrist and twisted it behind her back. With her knee still in the woman’s back, she held both wrists in one hand while she removed the wrist tie from her mouth and slipped them over the woman’s hands and cinched them tight around her wrists. That set the woman off into another vulgarity laced tirade directed at Sarah, questioning her parentage and telling her to do things to herself that were anatomically impossible.

Sarah smacked the woman hard on the back of the head and growled, “What did I just say about swearing? Now knock it off.” Taking a deep breath, she stood up, pulled off the black veil and wimple and shook out her hair. Released from its confinement, the cascade of long blonde tresses fell around her shoulders. Set off against the black of the habit, they fairly glowed in the moonlight.

She glanced to the ground and noticed her gun a couple of feet away lying on the cobblestone. She retrieved it, hoisted up her habit and holstered the weapon. When she turned around, she was met by six pairs of shocked and disbelieving eyes, all nearly hidden under their headwear. “Sister Sarah,” one of the nuns asked in a hushed voice. “What are you doing? What is all this about?” Fear and concern were etched on each of their faces.

“Holy crap,” she blurted out, and then clamped her hand over her mouth in embarrassment when she realized what she had just said. Somehow, the nuns’ eyes grew even larger with disbelief.

Thankfully, the abbey’s mother superior bustled up. She was a tiny woman but had a commanding presence and used an authoritative voice when she said, “Sisters, this is of no concern to you. I will explain all of this to you tomorrow. Now it is well past bedtime and each of you should be in your cells with lights out. I will take care of this.” She glanced down at the prone and handcuffed nun on the ground, “And speak with Sister Sarah.” She stared up at Sarah primly over her half glasses and then turned back toward the sisters still standing in a cluster wringing their hands or working their rosary beads. Clapping her hands again she warned, “Sisters, go.” Although the mother superior had only been at the abbey for two short weeks, the sisters recognized the tone in her voice and scattered like chickens as they scurried off toward their cells.

The mother superior watched as the sisters fled and waited until the area was empty save for the Fulcrum agent, Sarah and herself. She turned to Sarah, pulled off her glasses and said quietly, “Well done, Agent Walker.”

Sarah nodded and replied, “Thank you, General Beckman.”

General Beckman sighed and then asked in a somewhat perturbed voice, “But why did you have to take off your veil? Now I’ll have to explain your undercover presence here to the rest of the sisters.”

Sarah grimaced at her mistake. “I’m sorry, General. I thought I was alone and honestly, I couldn’t wear it any longer. It’s very confining.”

The general sighed and reluctantly agreed. “I know, Agent Walker. I’ve only had to wear it a couple of weeks and you’ve had to endure it for three months.” Reaching into one of the folds in her habit, she pulled out an iPhone and tapped in a number.

“We need a security detail at the abbey ASAP. The Fulcrum agent has been apprehended and we need her immediate extraction.” She paused as she listened to the reply. “Very good. We’ll see you in thirty minutes.”

Beckman ended the call and hid the phone back in the fold from where it came. She stood a little straighter, looked up at Sarah and said, “Agent Walker, you have performed in an exemplary manner during the whole of this mission. You were respectful, professional, patient and tenacious. You were able to capture the Fulcrum agent without injury or bloodshed. I will be sure to note these things in my final report to Director Graham.”

“Thank you, General.” Sarah hesitated and then added, “Also, I’d like to thank you and the NSA for loaning you out on this mission. You’ve been a great help to me these last couple of weeks.”

The general smirked. “Well, I haven’t been in the field for a while, but I guess I was the only woman with field experience that fit this particular...need,” as she looked down at the habit she was wearing.

Sarah smiled slightly and immediately understood what the general meant. Sarah’s friend Carina would not have made a very good “mother superior.” In fact, odds were good that Carina would have been struck down by a bolt of lightning from heaven above the minute she set foot in an abbey.

General Beckman nodded officiously and said, “I’m going to request on your behalf that Director Graham give you at least a month off from any assignments. You deserve some time off after this long undercover mission and you will need to readjust to living outside these walls.” She looked up at Sarah and said earnestly, “It could be a bit of a shock to the system.”

Sarah fought to control the slight panic that was starting to rise. She wasn’t really worried about adjusting to life outside the abbey as she had been able to secretly use her iPhone in her cell and got surprisingly decent coverage. Leaving the abbey didn’t concern her as she knew exactly what was going on in the outside world. Going on vacation and not working was what concerned her. She wasn’t very good at that. At all. She had no family and few friends. Her job was her life. When she wasn’t working she became restless, bored, and frankly very unhappy. She had vacationed with Bryce once, but now with his vanishing act that wasn’t going to happen again. Vacationing by herself meant she would have to endure the never ending pick up lines if she ever left her room.

This whole line of discussion had to be put a stop. “General, I appreciate the offer, but to be honest, this assignment has been like a holiday. It’s been quiet and peaceful. Today was the most action I’ve had since I got here, except for when one of the cows went AWOL from the pasture and we found her...ah...in the...um...bull pen,” she finished delicately. General Beckman eyed her with amusement and Sarah snickered when she thought of the scandal that had broken out amongst the sisters over the bovine’s indiscretion.

“All right, Agent Walker. I’ll take that under advisement. But I do want you to take at least a few days off.”

A relieved smile spread across Sarah’s face. “Yes, ma’am.” She could do a few days since she would have a number of things to take care of back in DC once she returned there. Her apartment had been shut up these three months and her houseplants were probably dead. Her Porsche was stored in one of the agency’s parking structures for safe keeping and needed to be retrieved. _Hope it starts_ , she thought. The thought of leaving the keys with the valets still made her shudder as she didn’t trust any of them to not take the Porsche out for a joy ride. She hadn’t seen many movies in her life, but she had seen _Ferris Bueller’s Day Off_ on TV during one of her very few sick days. She saw what had happened to Cameron’s dad’s car when he left it at the parking structure in downtown Chicago and ever since then, she’d been squeamish about leaving her car with valets for any reason.

“Can you be ready to leave here when the team comes to pick up our prisoner?”

“Yes, ma’am. I just need to change out of this habit and get my things together.”

“Do you have anyone you need to speak with before you go? Any of the sisters to whom you would like to say goodbye?”

“No, General. I assume you’ll tell them who I was when you meet with them in the morning.”

“Yes, I will do that. Very well, Agent Walker. I’ll stay here with this traitor,” she spat, glaring at the prone woman, “until the team arrives. Meet me back here as soon as you have all of your things together. Dismissed.”

Sarah gave a slight bow and turned to hike up the stairs to the courtyard and her cell. She felt bad for not saying goodbye to the sisters who had been so kind to her, so accepting. But she knew that forming attachments during a mission was one of the worst things an agent could do. She might lose focus and someone could get killed. It was easier on her heart, too. Too many times she had been abandoned: by her mother, her father and now Bryce. Her sensible shoes clicked as she climbed the steps, one by one. No, if she didn’t form attachments, then her heart couldn’t break. A small laugh escaped her lips and she ran her hands through her hair as she tried to blink back the tears. _I’ve got to get out of here_ , she thought as she reached the top of the stairs. _This is a little too much contemplation for me._

~ O ~

They waited, sitting around the glass topped table in Director of Central Intelligence Langston Graham’s office. Major John Casey, NSA, was in attendance as well as his boss, General Diane Beckman. There was a closed folder with the word “Top Secret” in large, bold red lettering across the front placed on the table before both of them. They had strict instructions not to open the files until the director was present and so both sat and silently stared at the folders before them. The only sound in the office was the tick of the clock which sat on the director’s desk.

The office door opened and Director Graham entered. He moved to his chair at the table and sat down. Clearing his throat he began, “Thank you both for coming here today. Let’s dispense with the pleasantries and get right to it, shall we?”

Affirming head nods came from the other two people at the table.

“As you know, one week ago one of my agents, Sarah Walker, apprehended an active Fulcrum agent who had been hiding as a nun in an abbey in Northern California. We turned over the agent to your Major Casey who happened to be on loan to us, training our people in interrogation practices. Thanks to the Major’s...persuasive...techniques,” at this he nodded to Casey who grunted quietly in acknowledgment, “the agent has been quite forthcoming. We have obtained valuable intel on Fulcrum and their immediate plans and have a number of leads to follow. One of those leads is why we are here today. Please open your folders.”

They each flipped open the files before them. There were a good number of pages in the file and clipped to the top page was a photograph of a man in his early thirties with brown eyes and wavy brown hair.

“General Beckman, the man in the photo is Charles Bartowski and our country’s best cryptographer. In fact, he may be the best cryptographer in the world and thankfully he works for us. He has written some of the most exciting and revolutionary cryptographic software in history. His current project involves working on some vital encryption software for the government that must be completed. This software could help us win the fight against global terrorism. Based on the intelligence Major Casey extracted from the Fulcrum agent, we have learned that he is being targeted by the leaders of Fulcrum.” He looked over to Casey and said, “Major Casey, if you would continue.”

“Yes, sir. Through my interrogation, we discovered that Fulcrum has already inserted a mole into Mr. Bartowski’s sphere of influence, either someone he works with or someone in his personal life. We don’t know.”

“You weren’t able to get the name of the mole from the Fulcrum operative in custody?” the general asked.

“No, ma’am and I’m convinced she doesn’t know it. She would have told me if she knew.”

The general noticed the flinty sound in his voice. _Yes, she would have given him the name if she knew it_. “Very good, Major. Carry on.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Casey replied. “The mole is working to try to turn him and join Fulcrum. Short of this, we believe the mole will try to steal the encryption software he’s currently developing as soon as it’s finished. We’re concerned that if Fulcrum is not successful in either of these two pursuits, they will become more desperate. There is also the question of Mr. Bartowski’s safety.”

Beckman took her half glasses off and asked, “Why don’t we simply take him into protective custody?”

Now it was the director’s turn to speak, “We can’t. When the agency arranged for Mr. Bartowski to work with us, we promised that he would always be able to work from his home in Colorado. He apparently has quite a spread up in the mountains. It’s a non-negotiable clause in the contract he signed with us. The minute we take him into protective custody, he stops his work. There is another consideration as well. He has seven children. He won’t disrupt their lives by making them go into protective custody.”

“Although Bartowski is an excellent software developer, his work is very slow as he does it all on his own. He takes care of the kids during the day and writes code at night,” Casey added. “There are concerns in the intelligence community that he may never finish the encryption software. Instead, he’ll simply quit and live off the rather substantial residual annual income he receives from the commercial software programs he’s developed and sold over the years.”

“Well, then,” the general asked, “how do you save an asset like Bartowski?”

(Sung to the tune of “How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?”)

Casey:

He works so hard  
He hardly sleeps  
He rarely goes to bed.

Graham:

He loves his kids  
He’d die for them  
At least that’s what he said.

Beckman:

And when he drinks his coffee  
His eyes are always red.

All:

He’s even started thinking of retiring.  


Graham:

We need his work  
It’s vital to  
The world’s security

Casey:

He’s overworked  
He needs some help  
As far as I can see

Beckman:

But is there someone out there  
Whose help will surely be  
Essential to the outcome to his project?

Casey:

There’s a comment I would like to make.  
Bartowski needs a break.

All:

How do you save an asset like Bartowski?  
How can we keep him safe and keep our word?  
How do you save an asset like Bartowski?  
Computer genius, a really nice guy, a nerd?  


Many a thing you know we need to tell him.  
Many a thing he ought to understand.  
But how can we sit and say,  
“You might just get blown away.”  
How do we make it sure he keeps his hands?  


Oh, how do you save an asset like Bartowski?  
How do you keep the nerd safe in this land?

They all looked at each other, fully aware of the difficult situation they were in. They needed to protect this asset, this Charles Bartowski, but how?

General Beckman was the first to speak up. “If he won’t come to us, then we will have to go to him. We need to insert an agent into his life to keep him safe.” She looked at Casey and said, “Major, you would be an excellent bodyguard for Mr. Bartowski. Pack up your gear. You’re leaving for Colorado in two hours.”

Casey visibly paled and sat stunned for a moment. He recovered slightly and replied, “General, I’m not sure I’m the best candidate for the job. I don’t think I can be around seven children all day. I believe my presence would cause more problems than would it fix.”

Casey held his breath as the general considered this point and then nodded. Her arms resting on the table, she clasped her hands in front of her and said, “Yes, I see where you might be a little...intimidating...to small children.”

The color returned to Casey’s face and he started breathing again. His heart took another minute to stop the pounding in his chest and return to a normal rhythm.

Each was quite again, deep in thought when Director Graham’s eyes suddenly lit up with inspiration. “I think I might have the perfect agent for this mission,” he said as he picked up his phone. He dialed a number and waited for the person on the other end of the line to pick up. With no greeting he said simply, “I need you in my office in sixty minutes.”


	2. Chapter 2

Sarah was bored out of her mind. It had only been one week since she returned from her mission as an undercover nun at the abbey and she was already going stir crazy. Director Graham had ordered her to take at least a week off to get her life back in order after being gone for three months. She didn’t have much of a life outside the agency so, as she suspected, getting things back in order outside of it consisted of buying a few groceries to restock her fridge, throwing away the dead houseplants and retrieving her Porsche from the agency’s parking lot. All of those tasks had filled a total of one day. Writing up her report for the just completed mission had filled another. There was barely even any laundry to do since she had spent the entirety of the last three months wearing a nun’s habit.

There was never anything good on TV during the day and she disliked shopping just to have something to do. She tried to contact her DEA friend, Carina, but was unable to reach her as she was currently on an undercover mission. Going to the gun range always relaxed her and would have spent the whole day except for the limits placed on the amount of time they would allow her to be there. Frustrated and restless, she sighed loudly, picked up the newspaper and turned to the movie section.

Up until this last week, Sarah could count the number of times she had been to the movies on two hands. But now, with nothing else to do, she had gone to a matinee to see a different movie for the last four days straight. She scanned the newspaper and groaned; she was now scraping the bottom of the barrel in terms of what was playing. Her choices were slim: a kids’ animated movie about pastel unicorns with strange markings on their haunches and lots of rainbows, a mindless slasher movie involving a chainsaw and lots of blood or a movie that involved two people talking for ninety-five minutes.

She had just concluded that the best use of her time might be to simply crawl back in bed and sleep the rest of the day away when her phone buzzed. A thrill of anticipation shot through her when she saw Director Graham’s face on the screen. She snatched the phone off the table and answered it before it buzzed again.

“Walker.” _Please be a mission. Please be a mission. Please be a mission._

“I need you in my office in sixty minutes.”

She smiled in relief. Her car keys were already in her hand and the apartment door was closing behind her when she replied, “I’ll be there in thirty.”

~ O ~

Sarah drove aggressively as she maneuvered the Porsche through the early afternoon traffic, constantly changing lanes and blowing past slower cars. Not touching a car for three months due to her stint at the abbey had apparently not diminished her driving abilities as she managed to get to the agency in twenty minutes flat. She parked and jumped out of the car in one smooth motion. The familiar tingle of excitement and expectation spurred her to quickly stride through the atrium entrance and across the iconic CIA seal on the floor. The elevator ride seemed interminable and she tapped her foot impatiently while waiting to reach the correct floor. She heard the “ding” and squeezed out the elevator doors as soon as they slid open enough for her to fit through. Upon reaching the director’s office, she wanted to simply barge through the reception area into the director’s inner office. She stopped herself, however, as she knew she needed to check in at his assistant’s desk. To do otherwise was impolite and frankly unwise.

The director’s rather plain looking assistant, Brenda, looked up from her computer monitor when she entered the front office and gave Sarah a forced smile. For reasons not completely clear to her, Sarah found that she was unpopular with many of the other women that worked in the agency. Although she thought she should try to find out what was behind the pariah status, deep down she really didn’t want to know. It was easier to just let it be.

Sarah stopped at the assistant’s desk and stated, “Director Graham wanted to see me.”

“Yes, Agent Walker,” Brenda replied coldly, “I’ll let him know you are here.” She officiously picked up her phone and buzzed the director. “Agent Walker has arrived, sir.” She listened, nodded, and then hung up the phone. “The director will see you now. You can let yourself in?”

Sarah gave the woman a frosty stare. _What did I do to deserve that kind of treatment_? She plastered on a fake smile of her own and replied in a saccharine voice, “Of course I can let myself in. I wouldn’t want you to trouble yourself.” With that, she turned on her heel and stalked over to the door leading to the director’s office. Grasping the doorknob, she took a deep, steadying breath, opened the door and entered the room. She was surprised when she saw that Director Graham was not alone, but rather there were two other people sitting at the table with him. She recognized General Beckman at once but did not know the other, very large, imposing man with steely blue eyes. Both men stood when Sarah entered the room.

“Agent Walker, please come in,” Graham said. “You of course know General Beckman,” he continued, angling his head toward the general.

Sarah smiled and replied, “Hello, General. It’s good to see you again.”

General Beckman returned her smile. “It’s nice to see you again, too, Agent Walker.”

Graham then turned his attention to Casey. “Agent Walker, this is Major John Casey of the NSA. He works directly with General Beckman.” They cordially shook hands while at the same time eyed each other carefully.

The director pointed toward a chair and said, “Please, have a seat.”

Sarah sat in the offered chair and watched as the two men resettled themselves.

Graham leaned forward and rested his forearms on the table. “Thank you for coming in so promptly, Agent Walker. The success of your recent undercover mission has shown us that you have an unparalleled ability to adapt to any environment. We need to use this unique talent to handle a serious national security concern. We need you to protect an important asset and keep him safe.”

“Yes, of course, sir. Who is the asset?”

The director slid the top secret folder in front of her and flipped it open. She glanced down and her eyes were immediately drawn to the photo of a man with soft brown eyes and a nice smile.

“His name is Charles Bartowski. He is the nation’s most important software cryptographer and is currently working on a program vital to our nation’s security, Project Sun Ray. Major Casey extracted intel from the Fulcrum agent you apprehended last week that indicates Mr. Bartowski has been targeted by them.”

Sarah’s head snapped up and looked first at the director and then the general when she heard the word “Fulcrum.”

“Do you need me to bring him in for protective custody?” she asked, glancing down at his photo again.

“No,” the director replied. “We have a special arrangement in place with Mr. Bartowski in connection with his work with the agency. He cannot be taken into protective custody. It has become necessary for you to go and protect him at his residence.”

Sarah frowned at this. It all seemed so odd. “I’m sorry, Director, but I don’t understand? Why would you send me for this?” She glanced over at Casey and said, “I should think Major Casey would make an excellent bodyguard.”

Casey grunted at this but otherwise had no other comment.

“Yes, well there is an extenuating circumstance in place that makes it so that Major Casey is not an optimal fit for this mission,” the director said carefully.

Her brow furrowed and she asked slowly, “What, exactly, is this extenuating circumstance?”

“Mr. Bartowski has children that also need protection.”

_Wait, what? Children?_ Her eyes narrowed suspiciously, “How many children does he have?”

The director cleared his throat, steeled himself for her reaction and replied, “Seven.”

“SEVEN!” she exploded. The room was nearly spinning. “Seven? I’m supposed to protect seven children? Director, I can’t even keep my house plants alive let alone take care of SEVEN children!”

“You will be inserted into the home as a nanny for the children,” the director said, dismissing her concerns.

Sarah’s eyes grew huge with shock. “A nanny?” she sputtered, her face growing red with anger. “You’re making me become a glorified babysitter to seven children? Director, I’m a CIA agent, not a nanny!” She halted her outburst and stared at him incredulously. Unpleasant thoughts began to form in her head. Before she could stop herself, she exclaimed, “Wait! Is this about Bryce Larkin? Am I being punished for what he did? Because if it is, this is totally unfair--”

Her rant was cut off by the booming voice of Director Graham. “Agent Walker! That is enough from you!” he barked, clearly irritated by her outburst.

Sufficiently chastised, Sarah grew silent and worked to calm herself while the director continued, “This has nothing to do with Agent Larkin. That matter is being taken care of by another team and is no concern of yours. This has everything to do with you being the best agent for this mission. You will not only be protecting Mr. Bartowski and the children, you are also tasked to find out the identity of and terminate the Fulcrum mole which has infiltrated his life.”

“Fulcrum has already inserted a mole?” she asked, realizing now that this mission was much more than merely babysitting.

“Yes. We believe the mole is tasked to turn Mr. Bartowski and convince him to work for Fulcrum. Failing that, Fulcrum will kill him and perhaps the children as well,” the director finished quietly.

The thought of eight innocent lives lost because of Fulcrum and that damned mole made her nearly sick to her stomach. She closed her eyes, took at deep breath in through her nose and blew it slowly out through her lips. With her eyes closed, she worked to control her swirling emotions. Seven children, Fulcrum moles, a man with soft brown eyes. It was a lot to take in.

“Terminate? Not apprehend?” Sarah asked quietly, opening her eyes again.

The director nodded. “The mole is just too dangerous. We can’t afford to allow him or her to escape. And we need to send a message to Fulcrum that we mean business.”

General Beckman spoke up for the first time in awhile and said gently, “Agent WalkerÖSarah. I understand we are asking a lot from you. But I’ve seen you in action and I agree with Director Graham. I am convinced you are the best agent for this mission. We wouldn’t ask you to do it if we weren’t sure of it. It’s just that important.”

Sarah looked at the general, whose eyes showed concern and compassion. “Agent Walker,” the general said, “you must find the mole.”

(Sung to the tune of “Climb Every Mountain”)

Track every bad guy  
Search every hole  
Follow every trail  
Till you find the mole.  


Track every bad guy  
Hunt down the spy  
Put a gleaming bullet  
Right between his eyes.  


The guy will deserve  
All the pain you can give  
He’ll regret that he turned  
For as long as he lives.  


Track every bad guy  
Hunt down the spy  
Put a gleaming bullet  
Right between his eyes.

The general was right. She had to do this. Charles Bartowski and his children needed protection, her protection. Her superiors were expecting her to provide it and expose and terminate the mole. She swallowed hard and replied with a kind of conviction that surprised even her, “When do I leave?”

The tension in the room evaporated and everyone let out a sigh of relief. “We need to let Mr. Bartowski know you will be coming. He will receive only the barest information over the phone as we don’t know if his house and phones have been bugged. You will need to brief him completely when you are assured the house is clean. We will insist that you are to live in the house with him and the children, so we can only assume that he will need to arrange living quarters for you. You and Major Casey will be leaving for his mountain estate in Colorado tomorrow,” the director finished.

Casey’s eyes shifted from the general to the director and then back to the general. “I’m going, too? Why am I going?”

“We can’t send Agent Walker there without backup,” the general explained. “You will not be living in the house and we will arrange for you to have a job in the nearby town. This should allow you to get to know the people in the area and hopefully assist Agent Walker in discovering the identity of the mole. Also, be aware that you may need to interact directly with Mr. Bartowski and the children if deemed necessary by Agent Walker.”

Casey was unsuccessful in hiding his discomfort with this mission. However, he simply replied, “Yes, ma’am.”

“Any questions?” the director asked.

“Mr. Bartowski will know I’m with the CIA and am there for his and his children’s protection. Will the children know, too?”

The director and general looked at each other and engaged in a silent conversation of frowns, scowls, shrugged shoulders and nods. Graham finally spoke up, “No. We think it best that the children, at least at this time, only see you as someone hired to help with them. Hopefully that will allow the children to not be intimidated or afraid of you.”

She actually snorted at that. _Them, be intimidated by me? I think that’s backwards_. 

“Any other questions?”

“What about the mother of the children?” Sarah queried.

“Everything we have about Mr. Bartowski’s family is in the file,” the director replied. “I suggest you review it before you get to his residence. Is that all?”

Met with silence, the director stood and said, “Then we should let you go so you can prepare for your mission.” Everyone at the table stood as well. “Good luck, Agent Walker,” he said, shaking her hand and then shaking Casey’s hand, “Major Casey.”

“Thank you, Director,” they both responded. Each shook the general’s hand as well and then turned and left the room. Sarah couldn’t leave the office fast enough. She blew past the director’s assistant without even a glance, threw open the door to the hallway and bolted out. She stopped just outside the door, leaned her back against the wall and ran her hands through her hair.

Air. She needed air. Panic started to bubble up in her chest. _Seven children. Seven_! Breathe in through the nose, out through the mouth. In through the nose, out through the mouth. She had stared down dictators and taken out all kinds of assorted bad guys, but the idea of taking care of seven children, well, she could hardly think. This mission would take every last ounce of spy training she had. She continued to lean against the wall as Casey stalked past her. She heard him grunt and then mutter under his breath something about CIA skirts. _Oh, this was going to the worst mission ever. Nothing good can come from this_ , she thought, resigned to her fate.

~ O ~ 

Sarah watched out the window of the airplane as it circled over the mountains and inserted itself into the landing pattern at Denver International Airport. Even though it was summer, she saw patches of snow on the peaks of the Rocky Mountains. It really was a spectacular sight.

She had flown into DIA a couple of times on other missions and knew the mountains made the air turbulent as they flew over them. She wasn’t surprised when the jet dipped and wobbled as it approached the runway. She had taken a commercial flight rather than a government plane since her superiors wanted her to be a nanny the minute she landed in Colorado.

She looked down at the yellow and black paperback book sitting in her lap. As with any undercover mission, Sarah needed to prepare. Before her previous mission, she had visited a convent saying she was thinking about becoming a nun. To say the nun she met with was skeptical was an understatement. She did feel bad about lying to a nun; not just about wanting to become a nun, but telling the woman her name was Carina Miller. It was worth it, though, and she smiled to herself every time she thought of Carina complaining about the strange nun recruitment mail she was receiving from random convents and abbeys from around the country.

She didn’t have the time to interview any nannies in preparation for this mission, so she went old school. Stopping by a bookstore on the way home from the briefing, she picked up a copy of _Nannying for Dummies_. She read part of it the night before and read the rest of it on the plane.

Much of what it advised was not applicable to her situation as she would not be taking care of any infants or toddlers. The youngest was five, so that meant less physical baby wrangling and more social interaction with the children. The book suggested that when first meeting the children, she try to find one thing about each child that they liked or had a passion for and make a connection with them through it. This she could do. It was just like cultivating an asset, insinuating herself into their lives and getting them to trust her completely. The trick was to ferret out the asset’s vulnerabilities and exploit them to her advantage. She was trained to pick up on clues about people. Now, if the children were her assets, she simply needed to find out the one thing about each of them that she could use to get them to trust her. The same thing would need to be done for Mr. Bartowski. Computer nerd? Piece of cake.

She was feeling much better about the mission now that she had a plan. Wanting to test her abilities in child interactions, she made eye contact and smiled at the three year old sitting in the seat next to her. Her smile quickly faded and her confidence level plunged when the young boy made a face and stuck his tongue out at her. She turned her head away, repulsed, when he stuck his finger up his nose. Her previous sense of calm went up in smoke and she was half-tempted to hide in the cargo hold of the plane and head back to DC. But duty called and she was bound to carry out her orders. She sighed and watched out the window as the plane landed.

She was still battling to calm her nerves as she deplaned and rode the underground train to baggage claim. Snagging her bags, she quickly made her way to the four wheel drive SUV the agency had left for her at the valet parking lot. She would have preferred a sports car, but practicality won over style. Her bags were tossed into the back of the SUV and then she set off.

Sighing for the umpteenth time that day, she made her way out of the airport parking area and merged onto Interstate 70 heading west. She had about a two and a half hour drive from the airport to Beaver Creek, which was just west of Vail, the one place along the way she had actually heard of.

As Sarah drove, she thought about Charles Bartowski and his seven children. She had studied his dossier the night before and gleaned little about the children other than the five girls’ and two boys’ ages were spread from sixteen down to five. Strangely, despite what the director had implied, there was no mention of a wife or who the children’s mother was. _Runaway mother? Divorced? Dead_? This she would need to find out.

What she did know was that his estate, as Director Graham had called it, was in a place called Beaver Creek. Sarah couldn’t help but think that any kind of estate located in a place with a name like that was probably not so much an estate but a cabin or maybe a chalet at best. She pictured a small cabin with a wood burning stove and drafty rooms. She wondered if there would even be enough space for her to stay there.

As she neared her destination, she took the off ramp the navigation system indicated and drove up a mountain road. She noticed that as she headed into the more remote area of Beaver Creek, the houses became gradually larger. Surprisingly larger and very expensive looking. She drove slowly along the road, taking in the houses that didn’t much look like the cabins she expected. Turning left, a dirt road took her toward a very large house set on a ridge. Apparently the director wasn’t kidding when he called Charles Bartowski’s home an estate. The house was three stories tall and was constructed mostly of wood. She was right in that the place did indeed look like a cabin. It was, however, much, much bigger than she ever imagined it would be. It was, in fact, huge.

The SUV bounced up the dirt road. She found the driveway and parked it about 20 yards from the front door. Turning off the ignition, she sat and gathered her thoughts. _What will this day be like_? she wondered. _A computer guy with seven children. What’s so fearsome about that_?

She took a deep breath, opened the car door and slid out of the SUV. Trying to instill a sense of confidence in herself, she walked purposely across the driveway towards the front door, her heart pounding in her chest. She took the first steps with great self-assurance, but her confidence wavered as she reached top.

“Oh help,” she breathed as she steeled her nerves, reached out and rang the doorbell. Fifteen seconds later, a tall man with wavy brown hair, gentle brown eyes and an unsure smile opened the door. Around his neck hung a small girl, perhaps five years old, wearing a pink ballerina skirt, and enjoying a piggy back ride.

“Hi!” he said, “you must be Sarah Walker.”

“Yes, that’s right. I’m glad to know you were expecting me.”

“Yeah, I heard you would be coming in today. It’s nice to meet you. Please, come on in.”

He backed away with the girl still hanging on to his neck, his one hand gripping the leg that wrapped around his waist. With the other hand he closed the door behind Sarah after she took several steps into the house.

“Thank you, Mr. Bartowski. It’s nice to meet you, too. Thank you for being so agreeable to our little arrangement.”

His smile faded and his eyes clouded when he asked, “I don’t have much choice, do I?”

Her smile faded as well when she answered honestly, “I’m sorry, Mr. Bartowski, but you really don’t.”

“Ah, well,” he said as his smile returned. “That’s life I guess. And please call me Chuck.”

“Chuck? Really?” she teased with a smile. _Wait, why did I just say that? Why am I teasing him? I just met the guy. What’s the matter with me?_

He wiggled his eyebrows up and down and replied, “Yes, Chuck.”

The little one still clinging to his neck giggled and shouted, “Chuck!”

He spun her off his neck, grabbed her around the middle, tickled her and said, “It's _Uncle_ Chuck’ to you, Squirt!” She laughed with glee and then was able to wiggle away from Chuck’s grasp. When she slid down him and her feet hit the floor, she looked up at Sarah and her eyes grew wide. She suddenly turned and took off in a dead run, away from the two adults.

Chuck watched as the little girl ran off. “Don’t take it personally,” he said. “You know how kids are.”

Sarah gazed up at Chuck. “Did I hear you say 'Uncle Chuck?’ She’s not your daughter?”

Pain flashed in his eyes. He looked away and shook his head sadly. “My sister and her husband were killed in an accident. All the kids are my nieces and nephews.”

“Oh, I’m so sorry. I...I didn’t know.” _Crap! Not a great way to start off_. She paused for a moment and added, “There was nothing about that in your file.”

“Yeah, I asked the agency to put very little about the kids in my file for their safety.” He shrugged, “The less people know about them the better.”

_That explains why there was no wife mentioned_. The tone in his voice made it clear to her that this part of the conversation was over. She wanted to know more about him and his history with the children, but knew now was not the time to push.

Sarah examined Chuck’s face more closely and noticed an unhealthy, fatigued pallor. His eyes were red indicating lack of sleep.

He shrugged as if trying to shake off the invisible load he carried and swept his arm toward the living room inviting her in. “Please, come in and sit down. I guess this is your home now, too.”

He led the way into the room and indicated that she should sit on the couch. Before she sat, she reached into her purse and removed a small electronic gadget. He was more than curious when she put her finger to her lips, asking him to stay silent. Switching on the device, his eyes followed her as she moved through the room, sweeping it for bugs.

Satisfied the room was clean, she turned off the device and returned it to her purse and sat down. He sat down in a chair across from her, amused.

“Paranoid much, Agent Walker?”

She shot him a sideways glance and answered with a mischievous smile, “Some people say, 'You can never be too rich or too thin.’ I like to say, 'You can never be too paranoid.’”

His smile widened, his eyes never leaving her.

“And please call me Sarah.”

They stared at each other for a moment. Then his smile faded when he remembered why she was there. Quietly, he said, “So Graham sent you to help me with the kids just to get the software done? I’m not sure that was really necessary.” His voice betrayed more than a little bitterness.

She nodded and replied in a voice that matched his low tone, “Yes, I’m afraid it is. In addition to making sure the encryption software you’re working is completed in a timely fashion, we’ve recently gathered some rather disturbing intelligence. We’ve learned that there is an enemy organization targeting you.”

When he heard this, his eyebrows shot up with surprise. “Me?”

“Yes, I’m afraid so. They’ll try to turn you and have you join up with them. If they aren’t successful in accomplishing that, we believe they’ll try to steal your software,” she paused and looked up into his tired face, “or worse.”

His face hardened and his eyes snapped. “You mean they might come after the kids?”

She nodded. “We’re afraid they might do that in order to gain leverage over you.”

She watched as he dropped his head.

“There’s one more thing,” she ventured quietly. “Fulcrum, the organization that is targeting you, has already inserted one of their agents into your life. We don’t know who it is. It could be anyone. My job is to not only protect you and the children, but to also find out who this person is and remove them.”

He slowly lifted his head. He smiled, but it held no mirth. “So they sent you? No offense but a beautiful woman like you...you don’t look like you could hurt a fly.” He gave sheepish shrug after he saw the reaction on her face was a mixture of amusement and irritation.

She smirked and said, “You’d be surprised at my abilities when I have the right motivation.”

His eyes held hers as he waited.

“My job is to help protect this country and that means right now my job is to protect you. I also despise traitors and I hate people who threaten innocent children.” Her face became the picture of determination when she said to him fiercely, “Trust me, Chuck. I’ll protect you and your children. I won’t let anything happen to them.” She looked deeply into his eyes and added, “Or you.”

She could see the conflict silently raging in his eyes. _I hope he doesn’t think he can run away and go off grid with seven children in tow._

As if reading her thoughts, his shoulders slumped slightly in resignation. He smiled tiredly and said, “Let’s have you meet the kids, shall we?”


	3. Chapter 3

Sarah had been inside of Chuck's Beaver Creek home for fifteen minutes and had only seen or heard one child. She was having a hard time believing there were seven children scattered throughout the house. Gazing up and behind her, she saw a staircase that led up to the open walkways encircling the second floor. The doors appearing along the walkway at regular intervals made it clear those were the bedrooms. There were additional rooms and hallways that led from the room she was currently sitting in as well. She knew there was also some kind of basement. _With a house this size, how is he going to track down all the kids? Is he going to blow a whistle or something?_

As if he was reading her mind, Chuck stood from his chair, pulled an iPhone from his pocket and sat back down. With his thumbs dancing over the screen at an impressive speed, he typed in something and touched a send button. Then he dropped the phone in his lap, leaned back in his chair, crossed his long legs and waited.

"What was that?" Sarah inquired. 

"The kids all have iPhones. I wrote a custom app that shows me exactly where they are and allows me to send messages to them simultaneously. Saves a lot of time searching and yelling." 

Skeptically, she asked, "Can the littlest one even read?" 

"Well, no. Not quite. I added an option to her version of the app so it will pick out the one important word from the text the others get. Her texts show her a picture of what I want her to do or where she needs to meet me with the word spelled out underneath. So the text she got was a picture of the living room with the words spelled out. Pretty soon I'll be able to take away the pictures and she'll just see the words and be able to read them." 

She crooked an eyebrow. "I'm impressed." 

He blushed and did a one shoulder shrug. "Just following my nerd instincts." 

The text had been received by all the children and soon Chuck and Sarah were serenaded by the sounds of doors opening and slamming and the rumble of feet as four of the children pounded down the stairs. One girl came from an alcove off the living room, walking slowly with her nose in a book. The oldest girl glided in through a door which led to the outdoor balcony. She was listening to her iPod and the sound was so loud, Sarah could hear it all the way across the room. A younger boy wandered in through the front door. 

Each child was clearly curious about the blonde woman sitting on their couch, but remained silent as they found places to sit. Seven pairs of eyes looked at Chuck, shifted over to Sarah and then back to Chuck. Sarah gave them all a nervous smile and then settled her eyes on Chuck as well, waiting for him to begin. 

"Hey, guys. This is Sarah Walker and I've hired her to help me around here. It's gotten too hard for me to keep up with taking care of you and do my job. She's going to live with us and help take care of you from now on." The seven pairs of eyes narrowed and stared accusingly at her. Chuck noticed their reaction and said, "Now don't blame her. I'll still be here at home, but I'll be working more during the day instead of late at night after you all go to bed." 

Sarah noticed their faces soften when he said this. They must have noticed how tired he truly was. 

"I want you to listen to her and treat her with respect. Can you do that?" he asked. Sarah watched intently as he waited for each pair of eyes to look at him and nod. It was not lost on her that some nods were more enthusiastic than others. 

A smile formed and he said, "Good! Now, why don't you tell Miss Sarah your names." 

They fired off their names in rapid succession, so quickly that she didn't catch more than a couple of them. She gave Chuck a helpless look. 

He chuckled and said, "Very funny. Try it again, only this time a little slower and tell her how old you are." 

The oldest girl spoke up first, "I'm Lizzie. I'm sixteen years old and I don't need a nanny." To reinforce her displeasure at this new arrangement, she crossed her arm across her chest, slouched back against the sofa and scowled fiercely.

Sarah cocked an eyebrow and quickly sized up the teenager. Lizzie had dark hair, light blue eyes and wore black skinny jeans and a black rock band t-shirt. Black nail polish covered her fingernails. _Bit of a rebel,_ Sarah thought. 

Thinking back to when she was sixteen, she had to admit that she would have resented a nanny at that age, too. When she was sixteen, she had to pretty much take care of herself. Her conman father was around, but he wasn't exactly the nurturing type. 

Sarah looked Lizzie right in the eye and said brightly, "Then we'll just be good friends." 

Surprise flashed across Lizzie's face. The body language never changed, but the scowl relaxed. 

Next to speak was the oldest boy, a blond haired, blue eyed teen. He wore a t-shirt with a picture of a blue police phone box on the front with the word TARDIS under it. Huh. She filed that information away to look into later. She had also noticed his eyes had not left her chest since the moment he walked in the room. 

"I'm Fred. I'm fourteen and you're hot!" 

Sarah blushed furiously and looked down at her hands in embarrassment. The other kids giggled at their brother. 

"Hiyo!" Chuck yelped and straightened up in his chair. "Eyes above her neck, soldier," he warned and then turned to Sarah. "Sorry, he's a bit impossible." 

Fred grinned at his uncle, "I thought I was incorrigible?" 

"No," Chuck sighed. "That's your brother…"

Breaking the awkward silence, a girl with blonde hair spoke up. "I'm Bridget." 

_She's trying to pull a fast one._ Sarah looked over at her and said, "You didn't tell me how old you are, _Lisa._ " 

Bridget, the one who had come in with the book, spoke up. "I'm Bridget. She's Lisa. She's thirteen years old and you're smart. I'm ten and I love your skirt and boots." 

"Thanks." One prankster and one fashion consultant and bookworm. She gave Bridget a wink and was rewarded with a smile in return. 

The other boy groaned, "Girls and clothes. Ugh." This boy's shirt might have had a picture on the front of it, but Sarah was unsure since it was covered with a giant stain from whatever he had for lunch. His hair was a mess and he sported a dirt smudge on his cheek. _All boy,_ she noted. He looked Sarah square in the eye and said confidently, "I'm Curtis and I'm eleven. I love Broncos football." Shooting a disgusted glare Chuck's way, he finished mournfully, "Uncle Chuck doesn't like sports that much. He likes comic books." 

"Hey!" Chuck said in mock hurt. Then he grinned and said, "Yeah, totally right, dude." 

"Okay," Sarah replied. "We'll have to talk football sometime then." Curtis grinned happily at the prospect and elbowed his older brother. 

Only the two youngest girls remained. The one with her dark hair in braids stepped close to Sarah and said in a breathy voice, "I'm Martie. And I'm going to be seven on Tuesday and I'd like a pink Barbie car." 

Sarah flicked her gaze to Chuck, wondering if he caught the hint. Based on the look on his face, she had the feeling there was a pink Barbie car wrapped and hidden away somewhere in the house. 

"Pink's my favorite color, too," Sarah lied. It was actually blue, but she was in agent mode. _Do or say whatever it takes._

Finally, the little one whom Sarah met at the door stood, put her tiny fists on her hips and stomped her foot twice. She wore a disgusted frown. It was clear that she hated that, as the youngest, she was always last. 

Sarah smiled at the little firecracker. "Yes, you're Megan." 

Megan nodded and silently held up one hand showing five fingers. 

The frown had turned into a small smile. 

"And you're five years old?" 

Megan nodded again. 

Sarah wracked her brain for something to say. _Kids that age always want to be treated like they're older, right?_ "My, you're practically a lady." 

That comment elicited a toothy grin from the littlest girl. 

Sarah scanned the room and saw all eyes on her. "I'm here to help out your Uncle Chuck. So if you need anything, please come to me first. We're going to have a great rest of the summer," she said with as much enthusiasm as she could muster. 

Apparently she wasn't very convincing since eight pairs of dubious eyes stared back at her. She sighed. "Just give me a chance, okay?" 

Everyone but Lizzie smiled and seemed to agree to indeed give her a chance. Lizzie's lack of response was not lost on Sarah as she realized oldest girl would be the most difficult to reach. 

Chuck clapped his hands once and said, "Okay, now that we've all met, let's get Miss Sarah settled in. She has a room all ready for her upstairs so she'll be close to you in case you need her." He looked her way and asked, "Ready to go get your stuff out of the car?" 

She nodded. 

"Fred, why don't you come and help me get Miss Sarah's luggage." The boy nodded eagerly, a huge grin appearing on his face. Following his uncle's instructions, he worked hard to keep his eyes above her neck. "The rest of you can go back to whatever it was you were doing." 

The other children got up and scattered, chattering and talking over each other about this new, mysterious woman who had appeared with no warning. 

"Oh, and by the way," Chuck called after them as they left the room, "pizza for dinner tonight. Mrs. Smith has the night off." 

A cheer for pizza rose from each of the children. Sarah noticed that Lizzie's eyes brightened and her face was far more animated than it had previously been during their meet-and-greet. Interesting. 

Sarah shot Chuck a questioning look. "Mrs. Smith?" 

"She comes in and cooks dinner for us. She has family in town so I gave her the night off." 

As they all left, Sarah noticed something else about all of the family, including Chuck. They all wore Chuck Taylors on their feet. Black, green, red, blue, orange, pink (Martie, of course) and purple. 

~ O ~

Sarah was relatively silent as Chuck and Fred rolled her bags into the house and hauled them up the stairs to her room. By listening in on their easy banter she was able to learn more about both of them and their relationship with each other. They were completely at ease, so Sarah reckoned that they had been living together for quite some time. She still knew next to nothing regarding the circumstances of the children coming to live with Chuck, but she would glean that information one way or another. 

Her room was a comfortable looking guest bedroom with a queen sized bed with a white brass headboard and footboard and a heavy white quilt. The quilt looked like it would be quite cozy on a cold, snowy winter night. _Will I still be here when winter comes?_

Fred tagged along as Chuck gave Sarah a quick tour of the house. Wood railing ran along one side of the open walkways and bedroom doors opened from the hall. The carpet was thick and plush under her boots. 

Her bedroom was at the very end of one of the halls. She looked down over the banister into the living room they had been just sitting in a few minutes before. Next to her room was Martie and Megan's room and next to them was Lisa and Bridget's. As the oldest, Lizzie had her own room at the end of the girls' side of the floor. 

Directly across from the girls' hallway was the boys'. There was Fred and Curtis' room, another guestroom and then Chuck's bedroom, directly across from Sarah's. They headed back downstairs where they showed her Chuck's office, the library, the kitchen, the dining room and the media/TV room. They lost Fred from the tour when they entered the TV room and found Curtis playing _Call of Duty_ on their Xbox. He snatched up a controller and was fully involved in the game in thirty seconds. 

Chuck led Sarah back through the living room and out onto the large balcony which encircled the whole outside of the house. They moved to the part of the balcony that overlooked the village of Beaver Creek. Mountains surrounded them. It was breathtaking. "Oh, Mr. Bartowski, this is lovely." 

"Please, it's Chuck, remember? And you really like it?" he asked, a shy smile creeping across his face. 

Sarah turned to him and said, "Of course. Who wouldn't?" 

Chuck shrugged. "Some people find it kind of remote. Not enough excitement. You've probably been all around the world. Seen New York, Rome, Paris…"

"Those places are beautiful," she agreed, "but so is this. There's something to be said for substance over style." 

They both leaned forward and rested their elbows on the balcony railing. Silently, a hawk turned circles overhead. The distant mountain peaks soared into the bright blue sky, dropped away and then soared again with jagged irregularity, like a set of dragon teeth. She could see why they were called the Rocky Mountains. The name fit. 

Studying the mountains which immediately surrounded Beaver Creek, she noticed that long swaths of trees were missing where numerous ski runs had been created. They were long, meandering carpets of green now, but her mind's eye could picture them white with snow and skiers racing down the mountains. She sighed; she loved skiing. _Will I still be here when winter comes?_ she wondered again. 

Chuck, still leaning on the railing, turned toward Sarah and looked as if he was about to speak but then turned away again. 

Still staring straight ahead, she asked, "You were going to say something?" 

He shook his head a little and said, "I was just going to say, 'Thank you.'"

A chuckle of genuine surprise escaped. "What on earth for? I haven't done anything but turn your life upside down." 

"I know. But thank you for putting your life on hold to come here and protect me and my kids." 

_Doing this is my life._ She shrugged and said, "Thank me when I've actually done something." 

"Deal," he smiled slightly. He glanced at his watch and said, "I guess I'd better call in the pizza if we're going to eat tonight." 

~ O ~

The family ate their pizza in the TV room while watching a Star Wars movie on the big screen. They had told Sarah which one, but it hadn't really registered since she had only seen the first one. Or was it the fourth one? The original one from 1977, at any rate. All she knew was this movie was not that one. 

All eyes were glued to the screen, watching the young woman who was wearing a gold metal bikini and chained to some gross, horrible, giant slug. She couldn't help but smirk at the faces of the two boys, well, three boys, including Chuck: eyes huge as they slowly and absently chewed their pizza. Bridget and Martie lay on the floor on their stomachs with their heads together, whispering and critiquing the woman's clothing, or lack thereof. Lizzie and Lisa sat on the couch, watching the movie but looking slightly bored. 

Sarah picked off the olives from her slice of vegetarian pizza and took another bite. So engrossed was she in studying the children she never noticed Chuck sneaking peeks at her watching them. 

The timing was not lost on Sarah that when the scene with the bikini clad woman was over, Chuck announced that he was going to go work in his office for awhile, leaving Sarah in charge of the children. The pizza turned to cardboard in her mouth and she could barely swallow the bite it held. 

She shot him a pleading look. _Please don't go._

He gave her an encouraging wink, turned and walked out the door. 

Sarah failed to notice the looks the children gave each other as soon as Chuck left. She noticed these kinds of things in adults, but never even considered children could be so devious. Eyes shifted from one child to another in silent conversation. The two boys stole quick glances at Lizzie who gave them a nearly imperceptible nod. 

Seconds later, the two boys began messing with each other. Fred stuck his finger into Curtis' pizza, causing Curtis to slap the offending hand. Fred let out a yelp and feigned injury. 

"Miss Sarah! Curtis slapped my hand!" 

"Curtis, keep your hands to yourself." 

"But he stuck his finger in my pizza!" Curtis complained. 

"Fred, keep your hands to yourself." 

"But you just said that to Curtis." 

"Both of you. Keep all of your hands to yourself." 

Her words were ineffective. Hands were not kept to themselves and soon there was pizza sauce on each boy's shirt as well as on the carpet. 

Fred stood and glared at Curtis. "You got sauce on my shirt!" he howled. "My favorite Doctor Who shirt!" 

"Doctor Who is stupid," Curtis shot back now standing and facing his brother. 

Fred face turned black with rage. "You take that back!" he growled. 

"NO! Doctor Who is stupid!" Curtis yelled again. 

Fred advanced on Curtis and gave him a shove, causing him to trip over Lisa's outstretched feet and fall on top of Bridget and Martie as they lay on the floor. 

"Owwww! Get off, you dope!" Bridget screamed. Martie wailed. 

Curtis disentangled himself from the girls, stood back up and launched himself at Fred, tackling him onto the sofa. His shoulder went into Fred's nose causing it to gush with blood and cover the front of his shirt. 

Curtis backed away, a look of panic on his face when he saw the blood spurting from his brother's nose. He looked over to a wide-eyed Sarah, who had not yet moved. 

Sarah didn't know what to do. She didn't remember reading anything in the book about anything like this. There were so many children. She looked from Fred with the blood pouring from his nose, to Curtis, red faced and panting. Bridget was mad and Martie was still crying. Lizzie and Lisa shot knowing smirks at each other and Megan sat unmoving and staring at the scene silently. 

Sarah stood, deciding it best to stop the bleeding. Blood seemed like the first thing that should always be taken care of. 

Quick footsteps sounded in the hallway and Chuck could be heard saying, "Who's crying? What's going…" He stopped midsentence when entered he the room and he took in the scene before him. It was literally blood, sweat and tears. 

"What the frak!" he yelled. "You guys are better behaved than this!" he scolded them. Frustrated, he asked, "What's gotten into you?" 

Clearly, the kids were up to something. Scowling, he began barking out instructions. "Curtis, pick all the pizza up off the floor and get the carpet stain remover and clean up that stain. Now!" he ordered. "Fred, you come with me and we'll get you cleaned up. Lisa, calm down Martie, please. Lizzie and Sarah, please clean up the pizza and dishes." He took Fred by the arm and led him down the hall toward the bathroom. Curtis trailed out the door behind him, heading off to find stain remover. 

Sarah numbly began to pick up plates and stack them on the floor. She glanced over at Lizzie and asked, "Could you pick up the pizza boxes please?" 

Lizzie rolled her eyes, got up off the couch and stacked the empty pizza boxes on the floor next to the plates. She gave Sarah an amused look and said, "You've never been a nanny before, have you?" 

Sarah tried to smile, but it was more like a grimace. "It's that obvious?" 

"'Fraid so." With that, she walked out of the room. 

Sarah ran a hand through her hair, completely defeated and never having felt this out of her element before. Agent Walker had stared down evil warlords bent on world domination and had once quelled a revolution with a fork. And yet here she was, unable to handle seven children. Snorting, she doubted she could handle even one. 

She tried to ignore the stares from the remaining three girls as she silently picked up the plates and carried them toward the kitchen. Glancing at the front door as she walked by, she felt like it was literally pulling her toward it, enticing her to run through it and away from this man and his seven children. She shook the thought from her head as she entered the kitchen and began to rinse the dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. 

When she returned to the TV room it was empty, save for the neatly stacked pizza boxes. She retrieved the boxes and took them to the kitchen and set them back on the counter. This was worse than she ever dreamt it would be. 

~ O ~

The house was quiet. The disaster that had taken place earlier in the evening had been dealt with and all the children were in bed, thanks to Chuck. Time to face the music. Sarah knew it was time to fall on her sword. Screwing up her courage, she suppressed the sheer mortification she felt and gently knocked on Chuck's open office door. 

He was typing away at his keyboard, glancing back and forth between the several monitors which sat on his desk. Peering over his shoulder, he said quietly, "Come in, Sarah." He turned his head back toward the monitors. 

Feeling like a third grader who had been sent to the principal's office, she slowly approached him, his back still turned to her. 

"I'll be out of here by tomorrow morning," she said softly, standing behind him. "I'll call the director and have him send someone else to take my place." 

He surprised her when he jolted and spun quickly around in his chair to face her. His face showed genuine shock. "Why? Why would you leave?" he asked as if it was the craziest idea he had ever heard. 

Taken aback by his reaction, she blurted, "Because I suck at this. I can't do my job if I can't handle my cover. I'm a complete and utter disaster as a nanny." 

Chuck's face softened and motioned for her to sit in the chair next to his desk. 

She hesitated and then sat down. With her palms pressed together between her knees, she swallowed hard, trying to dislodge the lump in her throat. 

His face didn't reflect the disappointment or condemnation she expected. Rather, she saw a hint of amusement. 

"The children are testing you. They're trying to keep you off balance." 

An embarrassed chuckle escaped. "Well, so far they've been extremely successful." 

"Yeah, okay they have been." He gave her an encouraging smile. "You're a CIA agent, right? Think about your fight training. What did you do when your instructors pushed you and prodded you and threw stuff at you to try to keep you off balance? How did you handle it?" 

This she could answer. "A right hook feint and a knee to the groin usually took care of that." 

Chuck only stared at her, mutely. Taking a deep breath, he finally said, "Sarah, please don't damage my children." 

Realizing what was going through his head, her eyes widened and she babbled, "Oh no! No, I would…no! No!" 

His smile cut off her rambling. "Okay, let me ask, how do you handle uncooperative assets?" 

"Point a gun at them or hold a knife to their throat… they tend to cooperate." 

He jerked in his chair. "I'm sensing a pattern here." Curiosity got the better of him. Quirking an eyebrow he asked, "Are you armed right now, Agent Walker?" 

Silently, she shot him a sly look, crossed one leg over the other and slid her skirt up her thigh revealing the cache of throwing knives strapped there. 

"Um, wow," he managed. His face flushed crimson and she noticed a sheen of perspiration spring out on his forehead. 

His eyes remained on the knives when he asked, "The kids won't be able to get a hold of your weapons, will they?" 

She smirked, watching him stare at her thigh. _It's nice to know I'm still good at some things._ "Not unless they put their hands where they don't belong," she answered, pulling her skirt back down, covering the knives. 

The disappearance of the knives made him realize he had been staring at her thigh the whole time, which made his face turn even redder. 

They sat in silence while Chuck waited for his face to return to its normal shade. Finally, he cleared his throat and said, "Instead of using force and intimidation, ever try talking and building relationships?" 

Her stomach clenched and she frowned. "Forming attachments makes you lose focus." 

His reply was simple yet so very frightening to her. "Attachments are what families are all about." 

_That's what I'm afraid of._ Staring down at her hands for a moment and then looking back into his face, she said again, "I'm not very good at this nannying thing." 

He gave her a knowing smile. "You had a much better first day than I did. You only had blood. I had every kind of bodily fluid there is all over me by the end of my first day." 

His eyes drifted and lost focus. "Four years ago, I was a computer guy with no responsibilities other than my job." His eyes found hers again and her insides twisted. "And then one day…one terrible day…I got a phone call and suddenly I found myself responsible for seven children, the youngest just a year old." 

She swallowed hard and blinked a couple of time fighting back tears. 

He leaned forward and gently placed his hand on her knee. It was just a friendly gesture, but it felt like a thousand volts shot through her. Her heart pounded and she couldn't tear her eyes away from his, even if she wanted to. 

"The point is, Sarah, if I can do it, so can you." 

He wasn't making this easy on her, with his hand still resting on her knee. "I still think I should leave so you get someone who can protect you better," she said, with less conviction this time. 

He shook his head. "No. You asked me to trust you when you said you'd protect me and my children and I do. Give it a week. If you still feel like you can't do this after a week, then I'll call the director myself." 

She took in a deep breath and blew it out slowly, mulling over the idea. "I guess a week wouldn't hurt." 

She nearly shot out of her chair when he squeezed her knee and gave her a heart stopping grin. "Great! You'll see. The kids will really grow on you." 

Her knee was lonely when he removed his hand and dropped it back in his lap. She couldn't stop herself from grinning back at him. "If you say so." 

He pulled a serious face and said, "Have I ever lied to you?" 

She couldn't stop her eyes from rolling. "Hey," she said, rising from her chair, "You should go to bed. No more working at night, remember? Now that I'm here, coding is your day job. You sleep at night."

"Yes, Nanny Walker," he replied obediently. He shut down the computer, stood and walked with her out the office door. She noticed when he closed the door that he locked it with a deadbolt key. Smart. 

As they headed towards the stairs, Chuck switched off the few remaining lights in the house, save for the one over the stairway. They silently climbed the wide stairway together, side by side. When they reached the top of the stairs she turned to the right and said, "Good night." 

He turned to the left and replied, "Good night." He switched off the last remaining light, plunging the house into darkness just as she closed her bedroom door. 


	4. Chapter 4

The morning light brightened the room from grey to golden. Unbidden, Sarah was pulled from deep slumber to partial wakefulness. Her eyes remained closed as she tried to remember where she was. Was she at the abbey? She rolled onto her side, the soft mattress conforming to her curves. No, this bed was way too comfortable. The mattress at the abbey was thin and lumpy and this one was definitely neither of those.

If she wasn't at the abbey, she must be in her apartment in DC. But she didn't remember having sheets that felt like these. She ran her hand over the bottom sheet. _Mmm, satin._ They felt heavenly against her skin. _Wait. I don't have satin sheets!_

Like a tidal wave, the memories of the last twenty-four hours flooded her brain. She was in Colorado protecting a computer nerd and his seven less than angelic children. Sarah groaned, rolled onto her back and pulled the sheet up over her head. She stayed like that for a minute until she realized that she was going to have to get up. Hiding wouldn't do any good. _Maybe there's coffee,_ she hoped. 

Throwing the sheet off her face, she took a deep breath and opened her eyes. 

"Aaaaahhhhh!" she screamed and shot her hand under her pillow when she saw a pair of blue eyes staring curiously at her from the side of the bed. 

Slowly, she pulled the hand from under the pillow and placed it on her chest to steady her breathing and keep her heart from thumping out of her chest. When she finally caught her breath, she said, "Megan, you just about gave me a heart attack!" Thankfully, she hadn't pulled her Smith & Wesson out from under the pillow and pointed it at the child. 

The little girl continued to stare silently at Sarah. Finally, Sarah had to ask, "Uh, Megan? What do you need?" 

Megan blinked once and said, "You need to come make us breakfast. Uncle Chuck usually does it, but he's already in his office working." She paused long enough to stick her lower lip out in a pout. "And we're hungry." 

All Sarah wanted to do was release the enormous groan from her innermost being that was aching to escape. But instead, she plastered on a smile and said, "Okay, sweetie. I'll be downstairs to help you with 

breakfast in a minute. I just need to get dressed." 

Megan nodded solemnly and replied, "Fred told me to tell you to come down in your pajamas. He can't wait to eat. He's that hungry." 

She snorted and said dryly, "I'll bet he did." Moving her face close to Megan's, she gave her a wink and whispered, "You tell your brother he can wait two minutes while I change." 

The wink did the trick. A huge grin split Megan's face as she sprinted out of the room. 

Sarah yanked on her jeans, pulled on a top and put her hair up in a ponytail. She hustled down the stairs and when she entered the kitchen, she saw seven children sitting around the kitchen table waiting expectantly for their breakfast. 

"Can't you get your own breakfasts?" she asked. At least some of the older ones could certainly get their own cereal or something. Seven heads shook simultaneously. "Uncle Chuck makes us whatever we want for breakfast," Lisa said. "He calls it 'family bonding time.'"

Curtis nodded, "He also says that breakfast is the most important meal of the day." 

For the second time in the twenty minutes she had been awake, Sarah bit back a monster groan. Instead, she smiled and said, "Okay, what do you want?" She couldn't cook dinners very well, but had always been able to make a mean breakfast. "Pancakes, waffles, omelets? What will it be?" 

They all talked over each other as they each requested something different. 

"Wait, wait!" she cried. "I'll make you all the same thing!" 

"But Uncle Chuck makes us each whatever we want," Bridget said. 

"He makes seven different breakfasts?" she asked slowly. 

Again, seven heads nodded simultaneously. 

_They must practice that._

She stood, staring at them for a moment, considering their words. It did seem like something Chuck would do as he seemed to be a kind of "kid whisperer." The thought of going and asking him about this crossed her mind, but she didn't want to bother him if he was working. This was supposed to be part of her cover and at least the kids weren't fighting. 

"Okay, we'll start with the youngest today." Megan gave her a huge grin. "Megan, what do you want for breakfast?" 

Over the course of the next hour, Sarah felt like a short order cook at a diner. She made waffles for Megan, an omelet for Lisa, scrambled eggs for Martie, fried eggs for Bridget, enough pancakes to feed an army for the two boys and blueberry muffins for Lizzie. 

The kitchen was a complete disaster area by the time all the children had been fed. Scanning the room, she was pretty sure she had used ever pot, pan, dish and appliance in the place. 

Chuck walked into the kitchen with his coffee mug to get a refill. He stopped short, eyed the flour decorating Sarah's forehead, and asked, "Is everything okay in here? You guys usually just have cereal for breakfast." 

Seven children suddenly shifted uncomfortably in their chairs and looked from Chuck to Sarah, certain that she was about to rat them out. 

Instead she smiled at Chuck and said, "I made them all special breakfasts. The children have been so warm and accepting, making sure my morning has been memorable." She turned and smiled at the kids, who now sat completely still. "They knew how nervous I would be in a new place and made sure I felt welcome." 

When she said that, the three youngest had to wipe the tears from their eyes. The four older ones simply stared down at their plates in shame. 

All this was lost on Chuck, who merely gave her a puzzled grin and said, "That's great! I'm glad you hit it off this morning," pouring himself some more coffee. He raised his mug in a toast and said, "It's great having you here, Miss Sarah. I've gotten so much work done this morning." He smiled at Sarah and the kids and then left. 

Without a word, Sarah turned away from the children toward the sink and flipped the hot water on. Picking up a dirty dish from the stack on the counter, she rinsed it and put it in the dishwasher. _Conned by seven kids!_ she groaned inwardly. _If the other agents back at the CIA ever found out, I'd never hear the end of it._

After a moment, Bridget stood up from her chair, grabbed her plate and the plates on either side of her, carried them to the counter and placed them next to the sink. Lisa copied Bridget and carried the plates around her to the sink as well. Soon, each of the seven children were returning food to the refrigerator and pantry, cleaning the waffle iron and bowls or wiping down the table and counters. 

The kitchen was soon as clean as it was before breakfast began. Sarah couldn't look at the kids, nor could they look at her when she said with a flat tone, "Thank you for helping clean up. I'm going to go take a shower." She turned and walked out of the kitchen, leaving the seven children motionless, their eyes affixed on the kitchen floor. 

~ O ~

The time she spent in the hot shower helped her regain her sense of control and purpose. If the kids were going to hate her and make her life a living hell, so be it. She had a job to do and she was going to do it whether or not the kids made it easy on her. All she had to do was run interference so Chuck could keep working on Project Sun Ray and also protect them all from Fulcrum. So she needed to concentrate on finding the Fulcrum mole. Once the mole was in custody, she could leave, go back to DC, and get a mission where all she had to deal with were armed terrorists or the retrieval of some superweapon that could blow up half the world. 

Comforted by that thought and ready to face the day with a new sense of purpose, Sarah opened her bedroom door and started down the hallway headed for Chuck's office. She needed to get a list of the people he interacted with so the agency could run background checks on them. Once she got a list from Chuck, she would give it to Casey who would then forward it to the agency. Sarah didn't think much would show up on the background checks, but they needed to start somewhere. 

As she approached Martie and Megan's room, she heard Megan's voice. Sarah stopped just outside the door and listened. It was clear Megan was playing some kind of pretend game as her voice rose and fell in pitch as she acted out different characters. 

"Barbie, save me!" Megan said in a low voice. 

"Don't worry. I'll save you!" the high voice replied. 

Okay, this I've got to see, Sarah thought. 

Sarah stuck her head into the doorway and saw Megan sitting on her floor with a doll with long blonde hair in her hand. "Megan, what are you doing?" 

"I'm playing Spy Barbie. It's fun." She stroked the doll's hair gently and then looked up at Sarah in the doorway. "Will you play with me? My brothers and sisters don't like to play spy stuff with me. They think it's dumb." She grinned at Sarah, eyes shining, and said excitedly, "I don't. I think spies are cool." 

Sarah smiled despite herself. Spy Barbie did sound kind of fun. But she needed to get back to finding the mole so she could get out of here and go home. "I'd like to play with you, Megan, but I need to go talk to your uncle about something." 

"Pleeeeeaaaaase," she begged. The lower lip stuck out and trembled, ever so slightly. 

Sarah's eyes rolled, knowing she was being played again. "I guess it wouldn't hurt for a little while," she sighed. 

The lip retracted immediately. Megan clapped her hands and squealed with delight. 

Sarah entered the room and sat down on the floor in front of a large, plastic doll house. "So, tell me. What's Spy Barbie's mission?" Sarah asked the just the right amount of gravity in her voice to make Megan grin from ear to ear. 

"Spy Barbie has to save him over there," she pointed to a G.I. Joe tied to a plastic chair with a piece of string wrapped around his chest. Joe's current location was the third floor of Barbie's 3-Story Dream Townhouse. "His name is Joe." 

"Why is Joe tied up?" 

"He didn't listen to Barbie and was caught by some bad guys." 

"Sounds like this Joe is a lot of trouble." 

Megan nodded her head, "You have no idea. But she loves him so she'll always protect him." 

"Okay, why did the bad guys tie him up?" 

Megan's face scrunched in thought. After a moment, her face cleared and she said, "Joe is a man who has a computer in his brain. He's really smart and keeps catching the bad guys because there's stuff he sees in his brain no one else knows about." 

"Wow! That sounds cool." 

Megan beamed at Sarah's approval. 

"So these bad guys caught him because they want the computer in his head?" 

Megan nodded emphatically. "Mm-hmm. And Barbie has to save him before the bad guys, let's call them...the Snakes…come back." 

"Snakes? Why Snakes?" 

Megan shot Sarah a look as if the reason should have been completely obvious. "Because I don't like snakes." 

Sarah shrugged a shoulder and said, "Makes sense. Where are the Snakes now?" 

"Um...they got hungry so they went out for lunch." 

Sarah grinned. "I suppose even spies need to eat." 

Hearing a noise just outside the door, Sarah twisted around but saw nothing. Thinking she was just hearing things, she turned back to Megan. Had she turned more quickly, she would have found Chuck watching the two of them playing together. The noise he made was a suppressed snort at the Megan's suggestion that the bad guys needed lunch. Knowing he was nearly caught, Chuck tiptoed down the hall and quickly headed back downstairs. 

"So how's Barbie going to save Joe?" 

"She's going to climb through this window here," Megan said pointing to a first floor window of the dollhouse, "go up the stairs and untie Joe." 

"But what if the bad guys," at that she received a scowl from Megan, "the Snakes," she corrected herself, "come back before they escape? Barbie and Joe don't have an escape route. It's too high for them to jump out of the third floor window." 

Megan's brow furrowed as she silently considered this problem. 

While Megan was deep in thought, Bridget, Martie and Lisa walked into the room. "We heard voices. What's going on?" 

Acknowledging her sisters, Megan said matter-of-factly, "We're playing Spy Barbie and she has to save G.I. Joe from the Snakes." 

The three girls peered at Sarah. "You're playing with her?" 

"Mm-hmm. Spies are cool," Sarah replied simply. 

They turned to each other, shrugged and then looked down at Sarah and Megan sitting on the floor. Not wanting to be left out of the fun, they asked, "Can we play, too?" 

Megan glared. "You think spies are dumb," she reminded them. 

The older girls chose to ignore the younger

and simply sat down on the floor.

Megan was clearly frustrated that her sisters were horning in on her game with Miss Sarah, but knew better than to cross them and so quickly gave them what she called "a sitrep." 

The fun taking place in Megan and Martie's room meant it quickly became a magnet and the rest of the children were inevitably pulled through the doorway. Soon, thanks to Fred and Curtis, Barbie had gained backup from Luke Skywalker, Doctor Who, Spiderman and Optimus Prime while the Snakes, who included a Borg, a Cylon and a Dalek, were now led by Darth Vader. Even Lizzie got in on the action when she brought in a toy helicopter. 

Megan spoke up, "But we still haven't figured out how to save Joe." 

All seven children looked at each other, wondering how they would indeed save Joe. 

"I know!" Sarah said with a burst of inspiration, "Why don't you have Luke Skywalker fly the helicopter over the house and Barbie can slide down a rope onto the roof?" Sarah liked that idea. She'd slide down a rope from a helicopter in a heartbeat. It sounded like fun. 

Megan's face fell. 

Sarah had no idea what she had done wrong. "Megan, what's the matter?" 

"Oh, Miss Sarah," she said mournfully, shaking her head, "that's a terrible idea. The helicopter will tell the Snakes that Spy Barbie has come to rescue Joe. I thought you were a better spy than that. Did you not pay attention when you went to spy school?" 

"What? No! What? Spy school? I'm not a spy!" Sarah sputtered. 

It was Megan's turn to roll her eyes. "Yes you are." 

Megan's brothers and sisters all turned critical eyes toward Sarah. 

"No, I'm not. I'm a nanny and I'm here to take care of you and your brothers and sisters." 

Her protestation caused seven pairs of eyebrows to shoot up in unison. 

Ignoring Sarah and turning back toward her brothers and sisters, Lizzie said, "Megan's right. It's the only thing that makes sense." 

Lisa nodded, "Yeah, otherwise, she's the worst nanny in the world." 

"Hey!" Sarah exclaimed, more than a little miffed. "I'm sitting right here!" 

The children continued to ignore her as they discussed Sarah's true reason for being there. 

Fred's eyes brightened as he made a connection, "Especially since Uncle Chuck works for the CIA. They can't send just any old nanny. They needed to send a spy to help him." He turned to her and exclaimed, "You're a spy! That is so cool!" All head nodded in agreement. 

_Holy crap on a cracker! How do they know Chuck works for the CIA?_ She had to put a stop to this. "Kids, your uncle hired me to help out while he writes software for a company. That's all." 

Curtis snickered. "Yeah, _the_ Company." 

Sarah had the feeling she was fighting a losing battle as she ran her hands through her hair. "What makes you think your Uncle Chuck works for the CIA?" 

Bridget spoke up, "Um, we see stuff. We hear things." She paused and then smirked when she continued, "We're young, but we're not stupid." 

Clearly. Not wanting to go on record as neither confirming nor denying her status as a spy, she decided to take the coward's way out and leave. She stood and said, "Megan, remember I told you when I first came in that I needed to go talk to your uncle?" 

Megan nodded. 

"Well, I need to go talk to him now, so you all just go ahead and help Barbie save Joe, okay?" 

Knowing looks were shared between the children. "Okay, _Agent_ Sarah," Megan said indulgently. "We'll just play up here for awhile." 

Sarah gave them a weak smile, turned and high-tailed it out of the room. Thinking back on the briefing with Graham and Beckman, she recalled that they didn't actually come out and say that the children couldn't know about her spy status. It was just that they didn't want the children being intimidated by or scared of her because they knew she was a spy. _Well, that doesn't seem to be an issue._

Her brain continued to buzz as she quickly descended the stairs and headed for Chuck's office. To her, it seemed that the most important consideration at this point was whether Chuck wanted the children to know for sure she was a spy. Honestly, it would make her life a lot easier if they did know. 

She reached Chuck's office, found the door shut and knocked quietly. 

"Come in," he called. 

_Time to face the music… again._ She turned the doorknob and opened the door. He didn't even turn around when he said, "Hi, Sarah." 

She was taken aback. "Chuck, how did you know it was me?" 

He turned in his chair and faced her with a grin, "Because you're the only one who has ever knocked." 

Just seeing his smile helped her to relax. His face had a healthier color to it today and he didn't look nearly as tired as he did yesterday. 

"You look good," she said. Realizing how that must have sounded, she tried to recover and fumbled, "Not that you looked bad before. You always look nice. I mean, you don't look as tired today." She bit her lower lip to stop the babbling. 

He chuckled. "Thanks to you, I got more sleep in one night than I have in a very long time." He peered into her face and said, "But I have the feeling you didn't come in here to discuss my return to good health." 

She grimaced a little and sat down in the same chair next to his desk she had occupied the night before. 

Not knowing how to start, she simply blurted out, "The kids think I'm a spy." 

She couldn't miss the twinkle in his eye. "Let me guess. Megan started this, right?" 

She nodded. "All the kids were there and they agreed that I was a spy." She smiled ruefully, "It was the only thing that made sense to them since they've decided I'm the worst nanny in the world." 

"Mm-hmm," he murmured noncommittally. 

His response was not as supportive as she had hoped. She narrowed her eyes and said, "And they know you work for the CIA." She felt more than a little satisfied when she watched is jaw drop and his eyes grow wide. 

"They know I work for the CIA?" 

This time it was her turn to murmur, "Mm-hmm." In a teasing voice, she said, "I believe it was Bridget who said, and I quote, 'We see stuff. We hear things. We're young, but we're not stupid.'"

He shook his head and laughed quietly. "No, they are definitely not stupid." Gazing into her face, he asked, "So where does that leave us?" 

Shrugging one shoulder she said, "We have two options, confirm or deny. If you think they can be trusted to keep our secrets, my vote is confirm. But I won't do that if it's against your wishes." 

He did a double-take, obviously not expecting her to defer to him in a matter like this. He was pensive for a moment and then replied quietly, "I don't want to lie to them." 

Sarah nodded. 

"But let's not tell them about the, um, other reason you're here." 

Catching his meaning, she smiled with relief and said, "Of course. Actually, that reminds me of the main reason I was coming to speak with you this morning." 

"What, not because of my sparkling conversation skills?" 

She smirked and teasingly nudged his shin with her foot. "Well, there is that." 

He jerked a little and then swallowed hard. 

Ignoring his jolt, she continued, "I need to get a list from you of everyone you interact with in your life and what they do. You know, people that work for you, you work with, who you interact with in town, socially, that kind of thing." 

"That will be quite a list. What are you going to do with it?" 

"I have someone here in the area I'll give it to who will then pass it on to the agency. They'll run background checks on everyone." 

"But some of these people, I've known them for years," he protested. "They would never hurt me or my kids." 

She looked at him sadly, "People change, Chuck. Fulcrum might have approached someone close to you and convinced them to try to turn you to work with them. They might really believe it's for the good of the country." 

A pained expression came over his face. 

"Has anyone talked to you lately about anything about your work, your politics or anything like that?" 

She could see his mind racing, trying to remember anything that would help find the Fulcrum mole. Coming up empty, he simply shook his head. 

"That's okay. They might be waiting for the perfect opportunity." She caught his eyes, "You'll tell me right away if anyone starts talking to you about stuff like that, yes?" 

He nodded glumly. He turned to his computer and opened a new document. In two minutes, he had a list of thirty names of people who would need to have background checks run on them. 

He printed out the list and handed the paper to Sarah. Quickly scanning it, she saw most of the names had already been in the briefing file: Mrs. Smith, the woman who cooked dinner for the family every night, Julie, the woman who cleaned the house twice a week, Andrew, the guy at the local hardware store, Barb, the checkout woman and Jack the bag boy at the local grocery store, Steve and Dan, the guys who cut the backyard grass every week, all of the kids' teachers, Christopher, the plumber and Wolf, the teenage pizza delivery kid. 

"I don't see many friends on here." 

Chuck shrugged, "Taking care of seven kids, running my own company, and doing work for the CIA doesn't leave me much time for a social life. Not that I'm complaining. I love my kids and I kind of owe this country for being so good to me." 

"I know I keep saying this, but I really am very sorry, Chuck. I hate that you're having to go through this." 

"I know, Sarah. It's okay. You're just doing your job." 

"Yeah." They sat quietly together for a moment and then she said, "Oh, I have a guy coming today to sweep the rest of the house for bugs." 

"Okay," he tried to sound upbeat, but failed. 

"One more thing," she ventured. 

He sighed, "Yes?" 

"Do you want to tell the kids that we both work for the CIA or should I?" 

That question elicited a smile from him for the first time in a while. "How 'bout we do that together tonight at dinner?" 

She smiled shyly and replied, "Okay. Together." 

~ O ~

The blue sky of the morning gave way to afternoon clouds as the heat caused thunderclouds to bubble up over the mountains. There hadn't been any thunder or lightening yet, but the potential for storms was certainly there. 

The doorbell rang and Sarah shouted to whoever could hear her in the house, "I'll get it!" 

She opened the door to find Major John Casey standing on the doorstep wearing a grey uniform with the name "John" stitched on it and a hat with a large plastic ant standing on the bill. He also wore a scowl on his face. "You got bugs, lady?" he growled. 

Sarah stepped out through the door and closed it behind her. She used every ounce of spy training to keep her face neutral. "Yes, Major Casey. Thank you for coming to sweep the house." 

He grunted in response. "Come down to my van with me and help me haul the equipment up here," he ordered with no preamble. He turned and stalked back down the steps to the driveway. 

They walked together toward the white van with a giant plastic ant on the roof, a larger twin of the one currently bobbing about on Casey's hat. 

"Bugs," Sarah said, amused. "Very droll, Major Casey." 

"Yeah, well, it seemed like a good cover for looking in every nook and cranny in the house." When they reached his van, he opened up the back doors and asked her, "So, found out anything about the Fulcrum mole yet?" 

"Not directly," she answered as she reached back and removed a folded up piece of paper from her back pocket. "This is a list of names Chuck gave to me earlier today. These are the people who he interacts with on a regular basis." 

Casey quirked on eyebrow, "Chuck?" he asked. 

Sarah stared at him defiantly. "Yes, Chuck. He asked me to call him that." 

"Cozy." 

She ignored his comment and continued, "We need run background checks on everyone on the list." 

Casey took the list from her and stuck it in the back pocket of his pants. Reaching into the van, he grabbed a satchel full of gadgets and handed it to her for her to carry. He picked up a telescoping pole to help him check the high ceilings for bugs. "How's it going with the seven rugrats?" he asked, slamming the van doors closed. 

She couldn't stop the sigh that escaped. "Honestly, I was ready to leave last night, but it's a little better today." 

Her confession elicited a sympathetic grunt as they turned and walked back up towards the house. 

"Nice spread Bartowski's got here," Casey said, scanning the exterior. "It's a lot bigger than I thought it would be. It's going to take me awhile to scan the whole place." 

Sarah agreed, saying, "It is a big place. That's why I called you. I already swept the living room and Chuck's office and they were clean, but I don't have the right equipment to sweep the whole house." 

"It'll take me the afternoon," he answered. "Try to keep the kids away from me, would you?" 

"Casey, there are seven of them. You're bound to run across at least one or two at some point." She shot him an amused look. "What, are you afraid of them?" 

"No, I just don't want them in my way." 

"Right," she snickered as she opened the door and led Casey into the house. 

They walked to the center of the living room where Sarah gave Casey a quick layout of the home, gesturing towards rooms as she spoke. 

The voices in the living room pulled Chuck from his office. He approached and looking at Casey said, "You must be here to sweeping for bugs." He offered a handshake, "Chuck Bartowski." 

Casey shook Chuck's hand and replied, "Major John Casey." 

Chuck's eyebrows shot up. "Major?" he asked, glancing to Sarah for an answer. 

"Major Casey is with the NSA. He's staying in the area and will be working with me and other CIA agents to keep you and the kids safe. He'll also be working on exposing the Fulcrum mole." 

Chuck was more than a little shell-shocked. "All this? For me?" he asked his voice higher than normal. 

Casey eyed Chuck warily. "Yeah, you're a regular belle of the ball," he answered snidely. 

Sarah shot Casey a disapproving frown and then turned her attention back to Chuck. "He's just teasing, aren't you Casey?" she inquired pointedly. 

A grunt was Casey's only response. "Guess I better get to work. I'll start upstairs and work my way down to the basement." With that, he picked his gear and headed out of the room. 

Chuck and Sarah watched as Casey climbed the stairs. "He seems nice," Chuck said drily. 

Sarah blew out a breath. "Yeah, I've never worked with him before. He is a bit…prickly." 

Chuck snorted, "I think that's an understatement." Sighing, he said, "Guess I better get back to the salt mines." 

"I'll run interference between the kids and Casey." 

He smiled his "thank you." 

She nodded her "you're welcome." 

~ O ~

Sarah bounded up the stairs taking the steps two at a time as soon as she heard a snarl from Casey. Reaching the top in record time, she made a quick right turn and sprinted down the hall toward Megan and Martie's room. She skidded to a stop next to Casey who stood staring down at the five year old. Megan stood in the doorway to her room, blocking Casey's entry into it, her feet firmly planted shoulders width apart and her fists resting on her hips. The determined frown on her face indicated that Casey had no chance of admission. 

"Megan, did Mr. Casey wake you from your nap?" Sarah questioned gently. A grumpy nod confirmed her guess. "He's just here to make sure your room doesn't have any bugs…or spiders," she added quickly. 

Megan continued to glare up at Casey. "I don't want him in my room," she stated defiantly. 

Casey tore his eyes away from Megan and shot Sarah a "do something" look. 

_Bribery. __Reaching her hand out silently for Megan to take hold of it, Sarah offered, "Let's go downstairs and get some ice cream. Mr. Casey can check your room and be out of it again in just a few minutes. You'll never know he was there."_

The offer of ice cream broke down Megan's defenses. She took Sarah's hand, but shot Casey a warning glower and mumbled, "I will too know he was there." 

~ O ~

It seemed to Sarah that the children had a sixth sense when it came to knowing where the fun was. Just as the Spy Barbie game had been a draw that morning, that afternoon all seven of the children had been drawn to the kitchen. Within five minutes of Sarah scooping a bowl of ice cream for Megan, the other six had made their way to the kitchen and had bowls of ice cream in front of them. 

_Apparently food is a good way to control them. ___

After each child finished their ice cream, they rinsed their empty bowl and placed it in the dishwasher, including the two youngest who used a wooden step stool to reach the sink. Only Lizzie remained in the kitchen with Sarah, still finishing up her ice cream and seeming to be in no hurry to do so. Lizzie glanced furtively a couple of times at Sarah as if she was hoping Sarah would talk to her. 

Sarah braced herself. This was all new territory for her. Should she stay and try to talk to Lizzie, or bolt to the safety of helping Casey sweep for bugs? Lizzie ended her quandary when she asked, "Miss Sarah? Did you mean it?" 

Sarah gave her a puzzled look. "I'm sorry, did I mean what?" 

Realizing Lizzie wanted to talk, she pulled out a chair and sat down across the kitchen table from her. 

"Yesterday," Lizzie started, "when we introduced ourselves to you, you said to me that we would just be good friends." Lizzie stared at the small puddle of melted ice cream in her bowl. "Did you mean it?" she asked again without looking up. 

Did she? She thought back to when she was Lizzie's age and how she would have loved to have a girlfriend to talk to about…stuff. Knowing how Lizzie felt, she answered truthfully, but without elaboration, "Yes." 

Lizzie body visibly relaxed and a small smiled crept on her face when she glanced up at Sarah. "Well, you see, there's this boy," she said cautiously. 

"Mm-hmm. The pizza delivery boy," Sarah ventured. 

Lizzie's eyes grew huge in astonishment. "How did you know?" 

Sarah did a half shrug and said vaguely, "I notice things." 

Lizzie made the connection and smiled. Her smile faded quickly when she said glumly, "I don't think he even knows I'm alive. How do I get him to notice me?" 

Sarah's primary source of education on this subject came from the agency's seduction class she had taken from Agent Roan Montgomery years ago. _Well that's clearly inappropriate for a sixteen year old. __She hesitated, completely at a loss for words._

Lizzie snorted to herself. "I'm an idiot. Why am I asking you that question? I bet you never have trouble getting men to notice you." 

She wanted to protest, but she knew that her physical appearance was one of the things that made her such an effective spy. Her silence continued. 

Lizzie squinted at Sarah and chuckled, "You don't 

have many girlfriends to talk to, do you?"

_Carina, I have Carina. What do we talk about? Missions. Guns. Cars. Dirtbags who hit on us. Dirtbags we have to hit on. Her latest conquest. Her next conquest. Why I don't have any conquests… Inappropriate, inappropriate, inappropriate. Oh Lord, she's waiting for a response…_

"No," Sarah sighed, "not... really... Most of the other women at the C…" she paused and cleared her throat, "at…work don't really like me. I don't know why." 

Lizzie cackled so loudly that she clamped her hand over her mouth. "You really don't know?" she asked with an incredulous laugh. "Well, I can tell you why." 

Taken aback by Lizzie's pronouncement, Sarah's jaw dropped. 

"It's because they're jealous of you. Oh, don't give me that, 'jealous of me?' look, Miss Sarah," she scolded. "You're drop dead gorgeous and you know it. Where did you go to college?" 

Surprised at the seemingly random question, Sarah automatically replied, "Harvard." 

Lizzie smirked, "The nanny went to Harvard. Right." She paused while she carefully studied Sarah. "And could probably hold her own against that bear poking around upstairs. Am I right?" 

Sarah just shrugged. 

So, yeah, they're jealous of your looks, your brains and your general kick-assery," Lizzie declared while smiling. "And you're an awesome dresser." 

The tension broken, Sarah laughed out loud. "Thank you for setting me straight." She shook her head, "You came to me for help and here you are giving it to me." 

"Well, maybe I asked the wrong question," Lizzie said. Giving her a sly look, Lizzie queried, "Have you ever been in love?" 

Just as she asked that question, Casey stepped into the kitchen doorway loaded down with equipment. Sarah chuckled at the "deer in the headlights" look on his face. Turning around quickly, he grunted, "I'll come back and check the kitchen later," and mumbled something about "lady-feelings" as he hurried away. 

Both Lizzie and Sarah laughed at Casey's retreating form. 

When their laughter died down, Sarah stared at her hands folded in front of her, resting on the table. She wasn't good at talking about her feelings, but this question she could answer. "The answer your question, Lizzie," her gaze rose from her hands to Lizzie's face, "is no. I've never been in love." 

Lizzie's mouth dropped. "I don't believe you," she replied. 

Shaking her head, she said quietly, "It's true. There were times when I thought I was, several times as a matter of fact. But looking back now? No, never truly in love." 

A thought suddenly struck Sarah. "Do you ever talk to your Uncle Chuck about any of this kind of stuff?" 

"No!" Lizzie gasped like it was the dumbest thing she had ever heard. "He's a man. And as far as I know, he's only ever had one steady girlfriend, some girl named Jill Roberts he dated when they were both at Stanford. I think they broke up when she moved to Europe to live after they graduated." Lizzie's mouth twisted, "She moved there 'to find her roots,' she told him. She's supposed to be descended from some baroness or something. Anyways, he worked in software after that until…" Lizzie's voice grew quiet, "my parents…" She took a deep breath and rubbed her hands on her jeans a couple of times. "Uncle Chuck bought this place and moved us here from California after…"

Sarah swallowed hard in an attempt to dislodge the lump in her throat that threatened to close it off completely. 

Lizzie sat up straight, shook her hands out and said with a stronger voice, "Yeah, so, Jill moved back to the States recently and lives in New York. Uncle Chuck has been back in contact with her, but we've never met her. They just talk on the phone." 

When she heard that Chuck might have a girlfriend, Sarah's insides twisted a little. _Well, I should think any woman would be proud to be his girlfriend. He's sweet and handsome and gave up everything for his family…_

"I'm surprised he hasn't mentioned her to you," Lizzie said. "He talks about her all the time," she rolled her eyes with exasperation. 

"No, he hasn't mentioned her to me." _Wait! She wasn't on the list he gave me for background checks. I wonder why he left her off? ___

A slight smile crooked on Lizzie's face when she heard that her Uncle Chuck hadn't said anything about Jill to Sarah.

Before they could resume their conversation, a middle aged woman bustled in carrying two bags of groceries and set them on the counter. She turned around and said, "Hi, Lizzie. Who's your friend?" 

Both Sarah and Lizzie stood up from their chairs. "This is our new nanny, Sarah Walker," Lizzie said. "Miss Sarah, this is Mrs. Smith, the woman who cooks dinner for us every night." 

Sarah gave the woman a friendly smile and offered a hand shake. "It's nice to meet you. Chuck has said so many nice things about you." 

Mrs. Smith narrowed her eyes and gave Sarah a thorough going over from head to toe. She sniffed and shook Sarah's hand without enthusiasm. 

"I didn't know Mr. Bartowski was in need of a nanny. My niece is available and would have been more than adequate as a nanny," she snarked. 

Sarah stiffened and plastered on a sweet smile. " _Chuck __," she said pleasantly, "is in need of my services due to my particular…skill set."_

The guffaw Lizzie tried to suppress turned into a cough. 

"Well, let's get out of Mrs. Smith's way. I'm sure she has lots to do." Sarah picked up Lizzie's ice cream bowl and placed it in the sink. 

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Smith. I look forward to seeing you around," she nearly sang as she and Lizzie left the kitchen together. 

Once out of earshot, Sarah turned to Lizzie and said in a frustrated tone, "See? I didn't start that!" 

Lizzie giggled, "I know. I saw it, too. You were perfectly nice and she was mean to you." 

The two of them were still conferring when Chuck walked up. "What are you two up to?" he asked with more than a little amusement. 

"Mrs. Smith wasn't impressed with Miss Sarah," Lizzie giggled. "She thought her niece would have been a better nanny." 

Chuck shuddered and a grimace formed on his face like he was trying to swallow down some rising bile. "Oh, I've met her niece. Mrs. Smith's been trying to get us together for years." He shivered again. "She's not my type." 

"What is your type, Chuck?" Sarah teased, a half smile on her face. 

Lizzie's eyes shifted back and forth between Chuck and Sarah as she watched their interaction, trying to stifle her grin. 

"Well, Sarah, I try not to be too shallow, but I prefer the women I date not to have a hump." 

Sarah's eyes grew wide. "You're kidding." 

Lizzie snickered at Sarah's reaction and shook her head. "I've seen her. Sadly, he's not." 

"And she called me for help with her computer once. It took her twenty minutes to find the power button," he replied, wincing at the memory. 

Sarah glanced at Lizzie who merely shook her head sadly. 

"Well, that explains Mrs. Smith, then, doesn't it, Lizzie?" Sarah said cryptically, giving her a wink. 

Chuck smiled as the two bantered. 

"That it does, Miss Sarah. That it does." 

~ O ~

It had taken awhile, but Sarah, with Chuck's help, was able to get the children to bed in a fairly timely fashion. As she ran a brush through her hair, she had to admit to herself that the day, which had started pretty roughly, had ended very well. 

Dinner had been quite eventful and honestly a lot of fun. She thought of the kids' reaction to her and Chuck's admissions at dinner that they both did indeed worked for the CIA - he writing software and she an agent. The words "kick-ass ninja spy" were used more than once during the rest of the evening and Sarah had been proclaimed the coolest person the kids had ever known, much to Chuck's apparent delight. That morning she was a loser nanny pariah and by evening she was "totally cool." Shaking her head at the quickly shifting moods of the children, she put her brush down and went to close the windows around the room. 

They had not, however, informed the children of the threat to their and Chuck's safety. Sarah simply told them that she was there to help take care of them while he wrote some important software and that it had to be a CIA agent for security reasons as a civilian might accidentally come across Chuck's work. That explanation was more than adequate for the children as they didn't seem care what Chuck did as long as the awesome spy stayed. They were also cautioned against saying anything to Mrs. Smith, causing Megan to roll her eyes and say, "Duh. Then it wouldn't be a secret." 

Sarah was also greatly relieved when Casey let her know there were no bugs in the house. He would sweep the house once a week just to be sure until the mole was caught. She also told Casey to add the name "Jill Roberts" to the list of names to be checked. 

Fluffing her pillows, she looked down and realized she probably should have brought along some more modest pajamas. Boy shorts and a tank top in summer were the most comfortable things for her to wear to bed and she bristled at the idea of sleeping in a floor length nightgown with long sleeves and a high neck. _That would be like wearing a habit to bed. __Chuckling to herself, she would have never thought when she joined the CIA that one day she would know what it was actually like to wear a habit._

She was pulling the covers of her bed back when the room was filled with a flash of light, quickly followed by a deafening clap of thunder that shook the windows. There had been distant rumblings of thunder all afternoon, but this was the first one that felt like it was right above the house. 

All of a sudden, the door to Sarah's room flew open and Megan stepped and pressed her back against the wall, just inside the door. A look of sheer terror filled her face. 

"Megan! Are you scared?" 

Megan's back was still plastered against the wall and her eyes huge with fear, but she bravely shook her head. When there was another booming clap of thunder, Megan bolted toward Sarah. She threw her little arms around her, burying her face in Sarah's abdomen. 

Sarah was able to slowly detach Megan from her and knelt down to her level. Brushing the hair from Megan's forehead, she asked, "You're not afraid of a little thunderstorm are you?" 

Megan tried to shake her head no, but another peal of thunder launched her again into Sarah's arms. Sarah hugged her close, picked her up and sat down on the side of the bed with Megan firmly ensconced in her lap. 

"Where are the others?" Sarah asked. 

"They're asleep. They're not scared," Megan said unhappily, convinced that her brothers and sisters were much braver than she. 

Thunder crashed again and Megan buried her head into Sarah's chest. A few seconds later, Sarah's doorway was filled by Lisa, Bridget and Martie. 

"Oh no?" Sarah asked, amused. "Look." 

Seeing their terrified faces and knowing there would be no sleeping until the thunderstorm passed, Sarah gave in and sighed, "All right everybody. Up here on the bed." She stood and plopped Megan on top of the comforter. 

"Really?" they cried with delight. 

"Well, just this once. Come on." 

The three girls ran to the bed and jumped on it. Martie was already under the covers when Sarah climbed into bed. Megan sat next to her on the other side, surrounding her. 

"Now all we have to do is wait for the boys," Sarah said. 

Lisa disagreed. "You won't see them. Boys are brave." 

The girls ducked and took cover when the loudest clap of thunder yet exploded overhead. 

Fred and Curtis tore down the hallway and skidded to a stop just inside the doorway. Standing up tall, they tried but failed to look unaffected by the thunder. 

"Uh, you boys weren't scared, too, were you?" Sarah asked, trying to hide her amusement. 

Fred tried to recover when he said bravely, "Oh, no. We just wanted to make sure you weren't." 

"That's very thoughtful of you, Fred." 

"It wasn't my idea. It was Curtis'." 

"Uh huh." 

Once again, the thunder clapped and the kids, the boys included, ducked their heads. 

"It's kind of scary," Martie whimpered. 

"Well, it's just noise," Sarah answered unconvincingly. 

Lizzie entered Sarah's room just as Martie made her comment. "You may not remember," she said to her brothers and sisters, "but Momma used to say when that we got scared we should think of things we liked to take our minds off of whatever was scaring us." 

"You mean like raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens?" Lisa asked. 

The boys scrunched their faces. "That's girly stuff. We don't want to hear about that!" They all looked expectantly at Sarah. "You're a spy, Miss Sarah. What do you like?" 

She swallowed hard. "Uh, spy stuff?" 

They groaned. "Give us a list. What are your favorite spy things?" Bridget prompted her. 

She sat for a minute wracking her brain. Spy stuff… The inspiration that came nearly knocked her over. 

"Polish on pistols," she started hesitantly. When smiles bloomed on the kids' faces, she continued more confidently, "And gear for a mission." 

(Sung to the tune of "My Favorite Things")

Stopping a nuke that would blow 'cause there's fission  
Having a guy that is not just a fling  
These are a few of my favorite things.

Kung fu and gun clips and high flying kicking  
Short skirts and lipstick and knives that like sticking  
Wild nights and sun tans and jets on their wings  
These are a few of my favorite things.

When a mission  
Goes all pear shaped  
And I'm feeling sad,  
I simply remember my favorite things  
And then I don't feel so bad!

Sitreps and C-4 and shiny new ammo  
Holsters and nunchucks and bombs that go blammo  
Punching my big bag until my hands sting  
These are a few of my favorite things.

Phone bugs and earwigs and GPS trackers  
Viruses, downloads and cute software hackers  
Driving my Porsche without any dings  
These are a few of my favorite things.

When a mission  
Goes all pear shaped  
And I'm feeling sad,  
I simply remember my favorite things  
And then I don't feel so bad!

When she was finished, she noticed the thunderstorm had passed. 

"Okay everybody. The thunderstorm's over. Back to bed," she ordered. 

There were groans of protestation, but all seven dutifully climbed off the bed, left her room and trooped down the hall to their rooms. Sarah got out of bed and followed them to make sure each one was tucked in. 

Glancing over the railing, she wondered why she saw Chuck stepping off the bottom stair and walking quickly toward his office with a grin on his face. 


	5. Chapter 5

The iPhone in Sarah's pocket buzzed. Chuck had installed the same app he had on his phone so now she would always know where the kids were and they could always be in contact with her. When she took it from her pocket and looked at the screen, she expected to see one of the children's faces smiling at her. Instead, she was surprised to see the countenance of Director Graham. 

Lifting the phone to her ear, she cleared her throat and answered the call. "Good morning, Director." 

"Hello, Agent Walker. You've been at Mr. Bartowski's for almost a week now, so I'm calling to check on your progress. How are things going?" 

"Things are going well, thank you, sir. Chuck…Mr. Bartowski is working diligently on Project Sun Ray and has informed me that he is making significant progress." 

"Excellent," the director boomed. "Is there any indication when the software will be finished?" 

"No, he hasn't said anything about that." 

"And the search for the mole. Is that moving forward?" 

"Yes, sir. Mr. Bartowski supplied me with a list of people who need background checks run on them. They're the people he interacts with the most in his everyday life. I gave the list to Major Casey several days ago and assume the NSA is running checks on those names right now." 

"I'll confirm this with General Beckman. I'll have her get back to you with the results when they are complete." 

"Yes, sir." She paced around the living room. "Also, Major Casey swept the house for bugs and found it to be clean. We both think it best if he sweeps the house weekly until the identity of the mole is ascertained and he or she is terminated. He'll return to do another sweep in a couple of days." 

"Very good, Agent Walker. You are making excellent progress. You'll be back in DC in no time at the rate you're going," he said happily. 

"That would be great, sir," she spoke, not sure why she wasn't more excited at the idea. 

"Bartowski must keep working on that software. Make sure you keep the distractions around him to a minimum." 

"Understood. I'll do my best." 

"You always do, Agent Walker. I'll check back with you in a couple of days to see how things are going." With that, the call ended. 

She lowered the phone from her ear and stared at it in her hand. Usually, she enjoyed speaking with the director, her touchstone to the agency and her life back in DC. Today, she felt nothing more than ambivalence. 

Standing motionless in the living room, she didn't hear Chuck when he approached and stood next to her. 

His face clouded with concern when he saw her standing there, rooted to the floor. "Sarah? Is everything okay? Did something happen?" 

The sound of his voice made her jump and she snapped out of her reverie. She regained focus and said, "Oh! Hi, Chuck. No! Nothing's wrong." Smiling, she said, "That was Director Graham. He wanted to know how things are going here." 

Chuck took a sip of his coffee and asked over the top of his mug, "So, how are things going here?" 

"Well, I told him about the list, the bug sweep of the house and how you are making significant progress on Project Sun Ray. He's very pleased with everything and," she hesitated for a moment and then added, "seems to think I'll be back in DC in no time." 

Something flashed in Chuck's eyes and then was gone. "Isn't that what you want?" 

She shook her head, "Yes, of course." 

He smiled at her mixed answer. "Did you tell him about the fact that the kids know we both work for the CIA?" 

Sarah again shook her head, "He didn't ask about the kids and I didn't say anything." 

Chuck frowned. "You know it's not your fault the kids saw through your cover. The CIA did a lousy job preparing the groundwork and training you to be a nanny. And Megan, well, she sees spies everywhere. She once spent a week tailing the housekeeper, Julie, just because she thought the air fresheners she was putting around the house contained bugs." He shrugged at Sarah's look of amusement. "She has an active imagination." 

Sarah put a hand to her forehead. "Yes, I'm well aware of that." She paused before continuing, "Chuck, you told me that you wanted to keep information about the kids out of your CIA file. Unauthorized civilians finding out about an agent's cover requires an investigation and documentation. I think it's best if we keep this a secret for now." 

Chuck slowly started to smile. "Agent Walker! Your asset has you keeping secrets from the CIA?" he teased. 

Unable to stop herself, she playfully slapped his arm. He stiffened slightly at her touch and she was suddenly very aware of and embarrassed at what she had just done. 

The potentially awkward moment was diverted, however, when Martie came tearing into the room and slammed into Sarah's leg. Grateful for the interruption, she made a mental note to thank the nanny gods for the kids choosing that particular moment to act up. 

"Miss Sarah! Miss Sarah! The boys are fighting in the TV room!" the messenger cried. 

Concerned, she asked, "Is there blood?" 

Martie shook her head and said in a matter-of-fact tone, "No. It's just yelling." 

A relieved smile crossed her face and she said to Chuck, "Duty calls." She and Martie headed hand-in-hand toward the TV room. Over her shoulder she called, "And you need to get back to work." 

As they approached the room, she could hear that the two boys were obviously frustrated with each other. They were sitting on the couch together, clutching game controllers in their hands. 

The other night at dinner, Chuck and Sarah had confirmed the children's suspicions that she was a spy. Since that time, Sarah noticed a shift in her relationships with them. She knew they weren't afraid of her, but they definitely showed her much more respect than when she first arrived. Taking advantage of this new found benefit, she entered the room and said in a strong voice, "Okay, guys. What's the problem here?" 

Both boys started yelling over each other. She frowned and silently raised a hand indicating that they should stop talking. To her eternal delight and astonishment, they did. Sitting down on an overstuffed chair, she asked, "Is this about the game?" 

Two heads nodded. 

"Fred, what's the problem?" 

"Curtis is supposed to cover me, but he keeps wandering off and shooting at people," Fred said, visibly agitated. "The other teams we play against always beat us because he won't stay with me." He turned to his brother and said, "That is not awesome, dude." 

"Curtis, is this true?" she asked, her eyes on him. 

"Yeah, but covering him is so boring. I'd rather go off on my own and just shoot stuff." 

Sarah's face grew deadly serious. "Curtis, when you go on a mission, you never leave your partner. If you're supposed to cover him, you cover him no matter what. He's depending on you to be there and protect him when he can't protect himself. That's why you keep losing. You aren't working together as a team." 

She looked over at the images on the paused screen. "What game are you playing?" 

" _Call of Duty: Black Ops,_ " Curtis replied. "We play online against other teams." 

Fred shot his brother a disgusted look. "Yeah, and like I said before, we keep losing because _someone_ won't cover me." 

The other kids' fun radar had once again gone off and they wandered into the room one-by-one, knowing that something was going on. She wasn't sure exactly when it happened, but Sarah soon had Megan sitting in her lap looking up at her. 

"Isn't this game a little too… much for the younger kids?" Sarah asked as delicately as she could. 

All seven heads, including Megan's, shook simultaneously. "Uncle Chuck makes us turn down the blood and turn off the profanity," Lizzie informed her. 

"Yeah, Uncle Chuck doesn't want me knowing words like sh-mmm," Sarah's hand quickly clamped over Megan's mouth. 

"Thanks, Sweetie. We don't need to know the words, okay?" With Sarah's hand still covering her mouth, Megan looked up at Sarah with solemn eyes and nodded deliberately. 

She removed her hand and gave Megan a quick hug, which elicited a happy smile from the little girl. 

"So do you all play?" Sarah asked. 

"We all do except Martie and Megan," Lisa replied. "Although you two are our spotters sometimes, aren't you?" 

Both heads of the two youngest nodded and Martie said shyly, "We're good at seeing things." 

"But you still lose?" Sarah asked. 

"Yeah, basically we suck," Fred said bluntly, which earned him a quick glare from Sarah who glanced pointedly down at Megan in her lap and then back to Fred. Understanding his mistake, he cleared his throat and corrected, "…stink. We basically stink." 

Megan giggled and Sarah rolled her eyes and heaved a sigh which caused giggles to erupt from all seven kids. 

"Miss Sarah, can you help us to become better at this game?" Bridget asked, speaking up for the first time since she joined the group. 

"I've never played video games before. I'm not sure how I could help," she replied, a statement which was met with shocked faces. "Spies don't have a lot of time to play video games," she smirked. 

They all watched her expectantly as she pondered the problem. 

"I can't help you with the game in terms of using the controllers and such," she said, watching their faces fall. "But," their hope returned, "I can teach you some elementary spy stuff that might help." 

Shouting over each other, they called for her to indeed help them. 

Placing Megan gently on the floor at her feet, Sarah put her forearms on her thighs and leaned forward, facing the children who looked at her expectantly. 

(Sung to the tune "Do-Re-Mi") 

Sarah: 

Let's start at the very beginning   
A very good place to start   
When you read you begin with 

Megan: 

ABC 

Sarah: 

When you spy you begin with   
Guns, bombs, knives 

Kids: 

Guns, bombs, knives 

Sarah: 

Guns, bombs, knives   
The first three things just happen to be  
Guns, bombs, knives 

Kids: 

Guns, bombs, knives 

Sarah: 

Guns, bombs, knives, cuffs, bugs, pens, vans   
(Speaking) Oh, let's see if I can make it easier, hmmmm: 

(singing) 

Guns are good for shooting things  
Bombs are used to blow things up  
Knives are stealth and yet deadly  
 Cuffs are used to hold bad guys   
Bugs are placed to listen in  
Pens can hold some knockout gas  
Vans are where the agents sit,  
That will bring us back to Guns  
Guns, bombs, knives, cuffs, bugs, pens, vans, guns, bugs, guns. 

Sarah speaking: Now, children, guns, bombs, knives and so on are just the tools we use when becoming a spy. Once you learn how to use all this spy gear, you can mix them up and use them in a million different combinations. Sometimes you might need guns, pens and cuffs. Another time, you might need bugs, knives and bombs. 

Martie speaking:

But what does it all mean?

Sarah (singing): 

When you know the gun to sling   
You can kill most anything.   
Together! 

Sarah and the kids: 

When you know the gun to sling   
You can kill most anything. 

Guns are good for shooting things  
Bombs are used to blow things up  
Knives are stealth and yet deadly  
Cuffs are used to hold bad guys  
Bugs are placed to listen in  
Pens can hold some knockout gas  
Vans are where the agents sit 

That will bring us back to Guns  
Bombs  
Knives  
Cuffs  
Bugs  
Pens  
Vans  
Gu-u-u-ns  
(Guns, bombs, knives, cuffs, bugs, pens, vans, guns, bugs, guns) 

"So when you're playing your video game, make sure you use the right weapon at the right time. Don't use a knife when you really need a grenade." 

"What else, Miss Sarah?" Curtis asked eagerly. 

"Well, if there are several of you on a team and you know where your enemy is, try to flank them. That means one of you might go to the ten o'clock position and another might go to the two o'clock. The third person stays at twelve o'clock with the fourth person has his or her six." 

Seven uncomprehending faces stared blankly back at her. 

Smiling, she explained, "Think of a watch face. Straight ahead of you is twelve o'clock," pointing straight ahead of her. "So ten o'clock would be off to the left some and two o'clock would be off to the right some," she said, demonstrating the directions with her hands. 

They seemed to be getting it, but to make sure she asked, "Where do you think my six is?" 

"Your ass!" Fred cried. 

Sarah bit down on a giggle and managed to shoot Fred a scowl. "Excuse me?" she said in as dangerous a voice as she could muster. 

"Your behind?" he whispered, suddenly very afraid. 

Her face softened and she said, "Not my behind. Behind me. When someone has 'got your six' it means they've got your back. They're watching out for what's going on behind you." 

All head nodded with understanding. 

"Between knowing all the different kinds of weapons available, and how to work as a team, with some practice, you'll be beating those other teams in no time," she finished excitedly. 

The kids were thrilled with this new information and couldn't wait to get started. For the next hour and a half, she sat with them and gave them strategy pointers as they moved through the levels. Martie and Megan were indeed good at spotting small details and their input was very helpful to the ones using the controllers. They were obviously improving with every level they cleared and soon were making excellent strategic decisions on their own. Only when their stomachs growled in hunger for lunch did they stop their playing. 

As she herded the children toward the kitchen to make their lunches, she couldn't help but feel pleased with how well they were working together and having so much fun as a family. And who says video games are bad? 

~ O ~

The children played _Call of Duty_ for the rest of the day. By the time they headed for bed, their hands were cramped and they looked like zombies. It was then that Sarah decided that video games in excess were bad and that the next day was going to be video game free. Before going to bed, she made a quick phone call to Casey. 

"Casey," the gruff voice answered. 

"Casey, this is Walker." Knowing Casey was not one for idle chit chat, she came straight to the point. "I'm taking the kids on a hike tomorrow and we'll be gone for several hours. I want to make sure that there'll be surveillance on the house since Ch…Bartowski will be home alone." 

"Of course," Casey huffed. "There've been eyes on the house since the day this mission started. Why worry about that now?" 

"Because it's the first time he's going to be alone in the house since I got here," she reminded him. "If Fulcrum is watching the house too, they might make a move when the children and I are gone." 

"Yes, a team will be there watching the house," Casey assured her, irritated that she would question him. "Agents Barstow and Vegas are on duty right now and will be relieved tomorrow by," he paused as he checked the schedule, "Agents Burr and Bank." 

"Okay, good," she replied, relieved. "Did you get any feedback on the background checks?" 

"Everyone was clean, but Beckman wants me to do a little more digging into the people closest to Bartowski. Over the next couple of days I'll be shadowing the cook, the housekeeper, the lawn guys and the pizza delivery kid. Apparently, they order pizza a lot." 

Sarah chuckled, "Yeah, every time the cook isn't here they order pizza." There was an awkward pause in the conversation, so she said, "I guess that's it then. Let me know if you find out anything from your tailing the townspeople." 

"Roger," he grunted and ended the call.

~ O ~

At first, when the kids were told they would be going on a hike, they were less than thrilled. Sitting on the couch playing video games was much more appealing to them. However, when Sarah mentioned that if they wanted to be real spies someday they needed to be in top physical condition, their attitudes changed immediately. Suddenly, a hike sounded like a great idea. 

Sarah, Lizzie and Lisa had made sandwiches for everyone and stuffed them into Sarah's backpack. Each of the children had their own backpacks as well where they carried a water bottle, trail mix, energy bars and a sweatshirt. Sarah's backpack included extra water bottles, sun block, bug spray and a small first aid kit. She also carried a compass and a topographic map of the area in case the GPS/hiking app she downloaded on her iPhone fritzed out on her. 

The kids were on the balcony busily applying sunblock and bug spray. Sarah watched over them with a keen eye, making sure each child was appropriately covered with both. 

"I can help you put your sunblock on, Miss Sarah," Fred offered as he watched her slather it on her legs between her khaki shorts and her hiking boots. 

"Thanks, Fred, but I think I've got it," she smirked. 

Fred grinned when he received a smack in the arm and a glower from Lizzie. 

Hats on and backpacks in place, Sarah lined the kids up for inspection. By now Chuck had joined them on the balcony. With his hands in his pockets, he leaned his shoulder against the side of the house and crossed one foot in front of the other. His eyes danced with amusement as he watched her slowly walk down the line, carefully scrutinizing each child. 

"Sarah, you're just going on a hike, not storming the beaches of Normandy," he joked. 

She stopped her inspection and glared at him. "Do I need to remind you, _Mr. Bartowski,_ " the children giggled at that, "that at an elevation of 8,000 feet you're exposed to 25% more ultraviolet radiation than at sea level?" 

His smile faded at her chastisement, "No ma'am," he mumbled. 

The children's giggles grew louder. 

Taking pity on him, and because he was so adorable with that hang-dog expression on his face, she bestowed upon him a brilliant grin. His head snapped back and then his own smile returned. The children, watching the interaction between the two adults, elbowed each other and shared knowing glances. 

She turned back to the kids and said, "Okay, troops, we've got to work as a team out there. Keep an eye on each other and you older kids," she looked to the kids on her left, "help out the younger kids as needed." Four sets of shoulders were thrown back and she received serious head nods. 

Chuck cut in. "I want to come along, Sarah. You're going to have all this fun without me," he nearly whined. 

She sighed at her eighth, and biggest, kid. "Chuck, you have to stay home and work. That's why I'm here, remember? So you can work during the day and sleep at night." 

This time he did whine, "But I want to come along." He gave her a heart stopping grin of his own. "I could help with the younger kids, too." 

His grin nearly sent her reeling. Regaining her composure, she placed fists on hips, shook her head and ordered, "Stay in the house, Chuck." 

He kicked at a pebble on the balcony and mumbled, "Why do I always have to stay in the house?" 

She grinned at him again and then said to the children, "Okay, kids. Give your uncle a hug and let's get going. I need to talk to him before we go, so I'll meet you out on the grass in just a minute." 

They ran to Chuck and nearly tackled him to the ground. One kid group hug later, the children hustled down the stairs, excitedly laughing and chattering. 

Sarah stepped closer to Chuck and said in a low voice, "You've been here any time I've interacted with the kids. I need to know I can take care of them if you aren't around. I have to do this by myself. Do you understand?" She looked into his face, looking for some kind of acknowledgement that he understood. 

He nodded his head and gave her a crooked grin. "I'll stay home this time, but you have to let me come with you the next time, okay?" 

She heaved a faux put upon sigh and said, "Okay, next time you can come." Her face lost all mirth and she gave him a serious look. "Seriously, though, you'll be here alone. Stay in the house, Chuck." Catching his eyes and added, "And when you're in your office, lock the door." 

"Come on, Sarah. Don't you think that's a bit much?" 

She scowled at him. "No, it's not." The scowl disappeared and said quietly, "I don't want anything to happen to you." 

His eyebrows rose. "Am I that important to you?" 

Suddenly flustered by his question and the look his face, she said quickly, "Of course you're important. It's my job to protect you. I have to protect you from Fulcrum and keep you safe so you can finish your work on Project Sun Ray." 

Disappointment flashed in his eyes, followed quickly by resignation. "Right. The job." He sighed, "Okay, Sarah, I'll lock the office door." He smiled weakly and said as he turned to go back into the house, "Keep my kids safe, okay?" 

Her mouth went suddenly dry. She nodded, turned and sprinted down the stairs. 

Once reaching the children clustered together on the grass, she shook off the strange feeling she had, rallied the troops and headed off down the path. She had chosen a fairly easy trail that didn't have steep elevation changes since she didn't want to wear out the little ones too much. 

They hiked for about thirty minutes before they stopped and rested by a small, clear creek. Sarah watched Fred, Curtis, Lisa and Bridget scramble around on large boulders while Lizzie kept an eye on Martie and Megan, who were content to sit on the ground and watch ants climb in and out of a hole. 

Before they started off again, they all dutifully drank from their water bottles and ate a granola bar. Sensing that the youngest two would wear out first, Sarah slowed the pace of the hike when they returned to the trail. 

After another thirty minutes, they reached their destination. The trail emerged from the trees and they found themselves in a clearing that overlooked a valley. All eight of them stood silently as they took in the sight of a glittering ribbon of river meandering below. Puffy, white clouds floated across the sky, their shadows dappling the green earth under them. 

Sarah could barely breath, so overwhelmed was she at the beauty that surrounded her. "I've been all around the world and I've seen all kinds of things, but this has to be the most beautiful place I've ever been," she murmured. 

She could have stood there all day, drinking in the natural splendor of it all, but the children quickly grew bored and stared to wander off. Shrugging off her backpack, she dug out the sandwiches and handed them out one by one to each child. Scattering around the clearing, they found places to sit on the ground or on a rock and devoured their food. Lizzie earned an enthusiastic nomination by Curtis as "Sister of the Year" when she pulled a large bag of chocolate chip cookies from her backpack and passed them out to her delighted siblings. 

Although the sky was a beautiful blue right now, Sarah was concerned about the thunderstorms that could roil up quickly in the afternoons so she decided it was time to head back to the house. The children, who were now well fed and sufficiently rested, happily complied. 

Their enthusiasm wavered, however, when they were about fifteen minutes from the house. Sarah's constant coaxing and cajoling was falling on deaf ears, so she wracked her brain trying to think of something that would propel them home. She smiled when the idea struck her. _That should work_. 

She stopped in the middle of the trail and faced the children. "You all have been great teammates, but now it's time to work on our spy skills, for real." Eyes that had been dull and tired just a few minutes before now shone brightly with anticipation. 

"The house is about a quarter klick from here, which is a quarter kilometer or about 275 yards." All the kids' eyes were glued to her and their breathing was shallow. "We are going 'stealth mode' from here until we get back to the house." 

"What does that mean, Miss Sarah?" Bridget asked eagerly. 

With all the gravity she could muster she leaned in and said quietly, "That means we make sure we aren't seen or heard. We hid behind trees, rocks, logs. When the coast is clear, we sprint for the next place to hide behind. Got it?" 

They all nodded slowly, nervous and thrilled at the same time. 

"Now, listen closely. This is very important-" she said in a low voice, glancing over her shoulder pretending to check for eavesdroppers. She smiled when each child glanced around them, too, "You need to stay right next to the trail. You can only hide behind something that is right next to it. Got it?" 

Wide eyes stared back at her, heads nodding. 

"Good. We'll go in pairs. Lizzie, you take Martie with you. You're Red team. Fred, you've got Bridget and you're Blue team. Lisa and Curtis, you two will be Black team. I'll take Megan with me in case I need to go piggy back with her. We'll be Gold team." 

"I won't need to be carried, Miss Sarah," Megan replied soberly. "I can do it." 

Sarah put her hand on top of Megan's head and smiled at her affectionately, "I know you can." She looked at them all again and said, "Now remember. Teams stay together and watch each other's backs. Communication is important, but you must communicate quietly, silently if you can. See if you can work it out, okay?" 

"Okay," they all answered. 

Satisfied that they understood her instructions, she said quietly, "Red team, go!" 

Lizzie took Martie's hand and they ran for a tree just off the trail and stopped behind it. Lizzie peeked around the tree, spotted a large rock, squatted down and whispered in Martie's ear. Martie nodded and the two took off, running as fast as their legs would carry them and dove behind the rock. With their backs to the rock, they looked to Sarah who gave them a grin and a thumbs up. 

"Okay, Blue team. I want you to start out on the other side of the trail. Ready?" Blue team nodded excitedly. "Blue team. Go!" 

Fred and Bridget dove behind a log a few yards in front of them. Fred stuck his head up over the log for a split second and then ducked back down. He got Bridget's attention and using two fingers, pointed to a tree and silently mouthed, "Two o'clock." Bridget nodded her understanding. Fred counted down on his fingers: three, two, one. At one, they both leaped over the log and bolted to the tree. 

Sarah then sent off Black team, who chose a different tree to start behind but on the same side as Red team had started. She and Megan brought up the rear, hiding behind their own tree, Sarah always keeping a close eye on the three teams in front of her. 

In her entire life, Sarah had never had more fun than she was having playing "stealth mode" with these kids. And it was clear to her the kids had never had more fun, either. The last few hundred yards of the hike went too fast and they were soon hiding in the trees just behind the backyard. Sarah called for the teams to halt and huddled them together behind a large rock just before they headed back into the house. 

"You guys were awesome!" she whispered. 

Seven grinning faces looked back at her. 

Wanting to continue the fun, she said quietly, "Stay down while I check to make sure the coast is clear." 

She stood up and peered over the boulder, glancing at the house. She expected to see it the way they had left it when they left earlier, but something was different. Scanning the dwelling more closely, her blood ran cold when she noticed the blinds on the windows at the back of the house were closed. She remembered Chuck mentioning on the tour he gave her on the first day that he never closed the blinds since he loved the view. In the week she had lived at the Bartowski estate, never once had she seen them closed, day or night. Something was wrong. 

She dropped back behind the rock and balanced her weight on the balls of her feet. "Guys, don't freak out, but we have a situation." 

The kids continued to grin, thinking this was still part of the game. Their smiles faded quickly when they saw the look on Sarah's face. She was in full agent mode, something they had never seen before. Their faces sobered immediately and they snapped to attention, waiting for her instructions. 

"Lizzie and Fred, you're the oldest, so you're in charge," she hissed. All heads nodded. They knew this was not the time to argue. "Stay down behind this boulder and DO NOT move until I come and get you," she ordered in a voice they knew was to be obeyed. 

She grimaced and said again in a low voice, "Don't freak out," as she laid her backpack on the ground, dug into it and pulled out her Smith & Wesson. Somehow, seven pairs of eyes grew wider. They huddled together and hung onto each other when she stood up with her back to the boulder, held the gun pointed towards the sky and peeked around the side. Spotting her next hiding place, she turned back to the kids, gave them a reassuring smile and nodded. They nodded in return. She then took off and ghosted behind the last tree before the open expanse of the backyard grass. 

She peeked around the tree and saw at her ten o'clock the wooden gazebo which stood about a quarter of the distance between her and the house. She looked up at the house, but with the blinds down she didn't know if anyone had seen her. Yeah, and I can't see them. The distance wasn't too far; she ran to the gazebo and stopped behind it. 

She now stood behind the last structure between her and the house. She had no choice but to sprint across the grass and head for the bottom of the stairs that led up to the balcony. Taking a deep breath and blowing it out slowly, she flipped off the safety of the Smith & Wesson and worked to calm her heart rate and breathing. Icy fingers ran up her spine when she thought of what she might find inside the house. 

She couldn't wait anymore. Leaving the relative security of the gazebo, she sprinted across the grass and stopped at the bottom of the stairs. Looking up and finding it clear, she ran up the steps, taking them two at a time and stopped at the balcony door that led into the house. 

Waiting only a couple of seconds, she counted down: three, two, one. Throwing open the door, she moved inside, pointing her gun in front of her as she scanned the room. 

An intruder, wearing all black and his or her face covered by a black ski mask, ran from the direction of Chuck's office and dashed out the front door. Sarah took off in pursuit, running through the house and out the door. By the time she made it to the front steps the area was empty. Her eyes searched, but the intruder was nowhere to be seen. 

She clicked the safety back on and shoved the gun into her waistband at the small of her back. Not wasting a second, she sprinted through the house toward Chuck's office. She slammed into it and grabbed the doorknob. It was locked. With two open palms she pounded on the door, yelling frantically, "CHUCK! CHUCK! OPEN THE DOOR!" 

One of her open palms nearly smacked him in the face when he whipped open the door with an utterly confused look on his face. 

"Sarah, what's the matter?" he asked as she heaved a huge sigh of relief. 

The hand that almost smashed his face lowered a bit and landed on his chest. Patting it gently a couple of times she took a deep breath and said quietly, "There was an intruder in the house. I was afraid…" she couldn't finish. 

" _What?_ " he cried. 

She nodded. "I scared him or her off. Took off out the front door and disappeared." 

Without warning, the hand on his chest gave him a hard shove and sent him reeling back into his office. She ordered, "Lock the door!" while pulling her gun and running up the stairs. She moved through each room quickly, ensuring that the intruder didn't have a partner hiding somewhere in the house. It only took her a couple of minutes to check the downstairs and finding no one, she returned to Chuck's office. 

"Chuck, open the door please," she said. "It's all clear." 

He opened the door and gave her a relieved smile. 

She smiled back, but then her eyes grew wide and she shouted, "The kids!" She took off through the house, down the stairs and across the grass, Chuck close at her heels. She stopped at the rock and found the kids where she had left them. Only now the four oldest were holding large rocks at the ready to throw at any unfortunate interloper. 

A smile of pride and relief spread on her face when she saw them. Dropping their rocks, they all stood and hugged the closest adult to them, some encircling Sarah, the rest around Chuck. 

"Uncle Chuck! Are you okay?" they all shouted over each other. 

"Yeah, I'm fine." He grinned sheepishly and said, "Actually, I didn't even know anything was happening. Miss Sarah scared off an intruder." The children laughed nervously in relief. He chuckled and said, "I was locked in my office the whole time." 

Chuck carried Martie and Sarah carried Megan as they all started back toward the house. The two littlest ones held on to them like barnacles. 

"Why would someone break into our house?" Lizzie asked. 

Chuck and Sarah glanced at each other. "I don't know," Sarah said. "They were probably looking for money. I'm sure it was just a onetime thing." 

"Miss Sarah? You were so cool with your gun and everything!" Fred cried, more excited than ever, now that the immediate danger had passed. "In fact, you were awesome!" 

"Gun?" Chuck said. 

She shrugged and shot him an unapologetic smile. 

"Yeah!" Curtis shouted. "It's silvery and shiny and _totally rocks!_ " 

"And you," she warned in a voice indicating she was not kidding, "none of you," she added, "are to ever touch it. _Ever._ " 

"But what if…" Fred started. 

She gave him a withering stare. "Never. Touch. It." 

He swallowed hard and nodded. 

They climbed the stairs and entered the house. Chuck immediately opened the blinds with Martie still clinging to him. 

Setting Megan on her feet, Sarah said, "Why don't you all go into the kitchen and get a snack. I'm going to go have a look around outside." 

Eight faces gazed at her with concern. 

"Don't worry. I'll be fine. I do this for a living, remember?" 

The tension eased and they all moved toward the kitchen, Chuck going along with the children. 

"I'll be back in a few minutes," she whispered to him. He nodded and headed for the kitchen. 

Now that she knew Chuck and the kids were safe, Sarah Walker was the angriest person on the planet. She stomped out the door and ran down the road the short distance to where the surveillance van was parked. 

Her eyes were a blue blaze of fury when she flung open the door and found two agents sitting in the van. 

"Agent Walker! Is there a problem?" one of the agents asked, his face paling. 

"What the hell is wrong with you!" she hollered. 

"Um, what?" Both Agents Burr and Bank had heard about the legendary and beautiful Sarah Walker, but neither of them had ever actually seen her before. They had been warned that she was an intense person. At this point in time that description did not do her justice. 

"What the hell is wrong with you!" she yelled again. "My asset had an _intruder_ in his house, the house _you_ were supposed to be watching and I come out here and you don't know anything about it? They even announced their presence by closing the blinds! Don't you guys do foot patrols?" Her face twisted in rage as she roared at them. 

She then took a second glance around the van and then at the two agents. Something was wrong. She climbed inside and gazed at the front windshield. "You can't even see the asset's house the way the van is parked." She was beyond furious. "What were you morons looking at?" 

Agents Burr and Bank looked at each other, fear written all over their faces. 

She grabbed the binoculars sitting near the front of the van and looked out the front windshield. A guttural, dangerous sound rumbled from her throat. Through the powerful binoculars, she saw a young woman lying on her balcony, sunbathing in a very small bikini. 

Ever so slowly, she pulled the binoculars away from her eyes. Turning toward them, she said in a voice like death, "I should shoot you right here on the spot. But I don't want to deal with the paperwork." 

She was so angry, she was literally seeing red. "I will personally make sure that you two end up in matching CIA monitoring bunkers in Siberia," she seethed. "These bunkers will be so small you won't even be able to stand up straight." An evil grin erupted on her face. "But Siberia's a big place." She pointed to Agent Burr, who had grown so pale he looked like he was going to keel over right there on the spot. "You will be in western Siberia." Turning to Agent Bank, who swallowed hard, she said, "You will be in eastern Siberia." Her eyes flashed dangerously and she whispered, "And never the twain shall meet." 

With that, she jumped out of the van, slammed the door closed and stalked back to the house. "I hope they like Tang," she mumbled under her breath as she pulled out her phone and made a call. 

When the call connected, she growled, "Get your ass up here. Now! And bring your bug sweeping gear," and mashed the screen again with her finger. Resisting the urge to throw the phone at a nearest tree in a fit of fury and watching it smash into a million pieces, she put it back in her pocket and walked back towards the house. 

The children couldn't see her upset. She had to calm down before she went back inside. Making several laps around the driveway, she worked off her pent up anger and tried to regain a sense of control. 

She was about to head back into the house when the van with the giant ant drove up and skidded to a stop in a cloud of dust. Casey jumped out of the van and stalked right up to Sarah. 

"What's got your knickers in twist, Walker? I was tailing Barb, the grocery lady when you called me with your hissy fit." She turned on him and spat, "Well, then she's probably not the mole. Guess what I found in the house when I got back from the hike with the kids today?" 

His eyes narrowed, but stayed silent. He could tell she was about to go thermonuclear. 

"An _intruder_ , Casey," she yelled, "dressed in all black, most likely the Fulcrum mole. Chuck was in the house by himself and those idiots…" she pointed toward the black van sitting a short distance away, "those idiots…" she whispered as the growing lump closed off her throat and she couldn't continue. 

"The agents in the van didn't see anyone enter the house?" Casey growled, his own anger stirring. 

She shook her head. Regaining her voice, she said, "No." Suddenly feeling very tired, she said in a quieter voice, "I'll tell you about it later. Right now I need you to sweep the house for bugs and see if you can find any evidence of who the mole might be." 

Casey eyed her warily. "You sure seem pretty upset over all of this. You know screwups like this happen all the time." He looked into her stricken face. "Are you getting too attached to these kids? You're enjoying playing house with Bartowski, aren't you?" he accused her. 

"What?" she cried. "No!" She glared at him. "I don't make attachments, Casey. It's my job to protect the asset and his family and today that didn't happen. I don't want a black mark on my service record because of a couple of morons who can't even pay attention to a house while sitting in a van." She looked him dead in the eye and said, "That's why I'm upset." 

He returned her stare. After a moment, he nodded in reply. His skeptical look, however, told Sarah he remained unconvinced that her service record was the only thing she was worried about. 

~ O ~

The house was quiet and the children were in bed. Thankfully, the kids had no problem going to sleep as they had complete faith that Miss Sarah would keep them safe no matter what. 

Sarah slouched on the couch in the living room, her legs stretched out and stocking-clad feet up on the coffee table. Head tilted back and resting on the top of the back of the couch, she stared at the high ceiling above her. She was too tired to think. All she could do was stare straight up. 

A sound made her turn her head slightly. Chuck walked into the room and flopped down on the chair across from her. He rubbed a hand over his face and glanced over at Sarah who had returned to staring at the ceiling. 

"Quite a day, huh?" he asked quietly. 

"Yeah," was all she could muster in reply. 

"So, do you want me to call the director?" 

Her head snapped up and she bolted upright. "Why would you call the director? To tell him about what happened today? I'll tell him about it in my report tomorrow." She was a little irritated that he would call the director to make her look bad. "Look, I'm sorry about the person who broke into the house today but I don't think you calling the director about it will instill a sense…" 

His eyes grew wide when he realized what his words sounded like to her. "No! Sarah, I wasn't going to… No! You were awesome today! With the kids and the gun and the running… in your shorts and hiking boots and…" his babbling stopped as he blushed furiously. 

She eyed him, waiting for him to continue. 

Regaining some control over his mouth, he said, "No, it's been a week since our conversation the first night you were here. You were going to give-" 

"I'm staying," Sarah said flatly. 

Chuck tried not smile at the interruption. "Oh yeah?" 

"Yeah. Chuck, I'm the best one for the job and I'm not going to let anything happen to you or the kids." A look of uncertainty came over her face. "That is, if you still want me to stay." 

A huge grin spread across Chuck's face. "Yes, we want you to stay. I haven't seen the kids this happy in a long time." 

She smiled in return and shrugged off the compliment, replying, "They're your children, Chuck. You've made them who they are." 

This time it was his turn to shrug off the compliment. They found themselves staring at each other. Suddenly, Chuck shook himself and said, "Well, since I don't need to call the director, I'm going to bed. It's been a…memorable day." He stood and said, "I suggest you do the same." 

Nodding, she stood and groaned as she straightened up. She was tired and the soft satin sheets were calling to her. "Good night, Chuck," she said, starting up the stairs. 

"Good night, Sarah," he replied, following her up the stairs a few steps below. 

As she walked quietly down the hall toward her room, she thought about the conversation she had earlier with Casey. He's crazy, she thought as she peeked into each room she passed to make sure the kids were asleep. Sneaking a quick look into Megan and Martie's room, the nightlight softly illuminated their cherubic faces as they slept. She smiled at Martie snuggled with her teddy bear and Megan clutching Spy Barbie in her little fist. Tiptoeing to her room, she thought, _No, Casey's wrong. Sarah Walker doesn't form attachments_.


	6. Chapter 6

Chuck gently set the mug on the round patio table next to him as he sat out on the balcony, enjoying his morning coffee. He was not alone, however, as Sarah sat in a chair across the table from him, silently sipping her coffee and enjoying the view. For reasons he still didn't completely understand, Sarah had joined him for coffee every morning before the kids got up and he went into his office to work. This ritual had started after she decided to stay two weeks ago, and today she sat with him again. Not that he minded, of course. They always talked, but usually it was superficial stuff about the kids. He had tried to talk to her about her family and friends, but somehow the conversation always quickly shifted to something else. 

He snuck a glance her way as she sat barefoot, wearing sweat shorts and an oversized Harvard sweatshirt. She was absolutely stunning: no makeup, hair in a ponytail, voice raspy with sleep. Every morning he wondered why she sat there with him. There were times when he thought maybe she saw him as more than just an asset, that maybe she really liked him. But then, when he realized he sounded like, well, Fred, he would let out a chuckle, knowing she was just staying close to him because it was her job. She was there to protect him and the kids and make sure he kept working on Project Sun Ray. Of this, she reminded him nearly daily. Besides, she was an incredibly beautiful super spy who lived in a world of international intrigue and he was just a computer nerd with seven children who lived in a world of minivans and parent teacher conferences. Yeah, she would never go for a guy like him. She was way out of his league. 

Without realizing it, he sighed. 

Sarah smiled at him and said, "That was a pretty big sigh. Whatcha thinking about, Chuck?" 

_You. Trying to figure out how you really feel about me. Whether you care about me as more than just an asset, or if that's all I am to you. __He shook his head and said, "It's great sitting out here with you, Sarah."_

Her grin nearly knocked him out of his chair. Its brightness competed with the morning sun. "I like sitting out here, too, Chuck. It's so wonderfully peaceful before the kids get up." 

He nodded, suddenly feeling like he was under water. He could barely breathe. "It's just that I…" He lost his nerve and rather than giving voice to the thoughts rolling around in his brain, he said, "I should get to work." 

This time, she sighed and agreed, "Yeah, I should get ready, too. The kids will be up soon." She stood and asked, "Talk to you later?" 

He remained sitting and glancing up at her, answered, "Yeah, later." 

She grabbed her mug and he watched her walk back into the house. 

Turning back toward the village below, he finally voiced what he had been thinking about all morning. 

(Sung to the tune of "Edelweiss") 

You entice  
Please be nice  
Every morning you tease me. 

God you're hot  
And I'm not  
Yet, you're happy to see me. 

Someday you might let your feelings show  
How you feel about me. 

You entice  
Please be nice  
Or I'll be sad forever. 

He sighed again. Sitting out there wasn't doing him any good, so he stood, picked up his mug and walked into the house. 

~ O ~

Sarah came inside from having her morning coffee with Chuck, rinsed her mug and placed it in the dishwasher. Turning and heading up the stairs to get ready for the day, she realized she had been living with Chuck and the kids for three weeks already. The time had seemed to fly. She had no idea how long she would be needed there, and frankly she didn't really care. She had once been on an undercover mission for over a year, so she was prepared to stay here to complete this job no matter how long it took. 

Turning on the shower, she thought back on how things started out with Chuck and the kids and found that she was rather pleased with the way things were going now. The household seemed to have gotten into a pretty good rhythm. Every morning, she would get up before the kids and have coffee with Chuck. He always was up just before her and would brew a pot and have a mug poured and waiting for her when she came downstairs. Sometimes he would be sitting at the kitchen table, but when the mornings were nice, like this one, she would find him sitting by the table outside, his long legs stretched out in front of him. Her heart would beat a little faster when she saw him sitting there in his old Stanford t-shirt and baggy shorts, absolutely adorable with his serious case of bed head and the morning scruff on his face. It was becoming harder and harder for her to fight the urge to run her hand, just once, over that stubble. And she had never realized how sexy a man's voice could be first thing in the morning: deep and husky and rumbly. The first morning she heard that sleepy voice chills had shot up her spine. 

Stripping down and tossing her sweatshirt on the bathroom counter, Sarah stepped into the shower. She thought about their morning conversations and how Chuck always had something funny to say or a story about the kids. Chuck's smile was quick, devastating and when fully deployed, could nearly knock her out of her chair. 

On more than one occasion, he had tried to ask about her family and friends or her past, but not wanting to talk about those things, she always deflected and changed the subject. She had a pretty wicked childhood and a miserable youth and wasn't proud of the scams she had helped run with her conman father. That part of her past she didn't want to share with him, or anyone else for that matter. _Chuck's such a nice guy and I have so much baggage. He could never understand someone like me, with a past and life like mine. I couldn't be good for him._ She sighed, letting the warm water run over her. _And I shouldn't be thinking about him in that way. He's my asset. So inappropriate. I need to think about something else._

Casey. _That's better._ Casey continued following the locals on the list, but hadn't turned anything up on any of them. Two new agents had replaced Agents Burr and Bank, whom Sarah hoped were currently ensconced in their Siberian bunkers. The new agents, Agents Cole and Barker, were square jawed, steely eyed and spoke in one word sentences. Compared to those two, Casey seemed like a chatterbox. She appreciated their dedication, however, and felt more secure knowing they were on the team. 

As she squirted some shampoo into her hand, she thought about how proud she was of the inroads she had made with the kids in getting them to trust her. Over the course of the last three weeks, she had followed the advice from Nannying for Dummies and worked on bonding with each kid over something they enjoyed or were passionate about. She and Lizzie had already made a connection by talking about boys. Well, Lizzie did most of the chatting while Sarah listened. At the end of their last girl talk, however, Sarah had successfully convinced Lizzie to actually answer the door the next time Wolf came to deliver pizza to the house. Initially, Lizzie paled at the idea, but then warmed up to the idea when Sarah promised to be close by whenever the fateful meeting took place. _That reminds me. I need to find out when the next pizza delivery will be._

Washing her hair, she remembered that she promised Fred her Saturday night for the next episode of _Doctor Who._ A quick search on the internet informed her that the blue phone box she had seen on Fred's t-shirt was the TARDIS, a time and space traveling vehicle used by someone called the Doctor. It had only taken one viewing of the show and she was hooked. According to Fred, there had been ten previous Doctor Whos, but Sarah didn't care about those other ones. She thought the current one was adorable, with his bow tie and wearing the occasional fez. And it seemed he would do anything for the people he cared about, a quality she found very attractive. Fred patiently explained who all the characters were and what was going on. _I wonder if I can find some jammy dodgers to snack on the next time we watch it together._

Rinsing the shampoo out and putting in conditioner, she thought about Lisa. She had a quick mind and a sarcastic wit, but Sarah recognized the pain masked behind the humor. She had a feeling that their parents' death had hit Lisa the hardest. Being only 9 years old and to lose both parents, that had to mess with a child. Sarah was no psychologist, but you didn't have to be Freud to figure out that Lisa used sarcasm as a way of keeping people at a distance. She didn't want to grow too attached to anyone, including Sarah, only to have them leave. Sarah had to admit to herself that she perhaps understood Lisa better than all the others. 

Unlike his sister, Lisa, Curtis was an open book. He went through life at full throttle and embraced everything he came across. Remembering what he had said the first day she met him, Sarah had brushed up on her National Football League news, especially stories about the Denver Broncos. Football season still a few weeks away, so they couldn't watch the games together quite yet. However, when she uttered the name, "Tim Tebow," Curtis got so excited he became unglued and talked non-stop for an hour. She smiled when she remembered the expression on Chuck's face as he tried to keep up with their chatter. I need to check and see when the first game in on TV, she thought as the conditioner rinsed out of her hair and slipped down the drain. Like the other three oldest, Curtis also had been spending a lot of time playing _Call of Duty,_ but still had the propensity to go off and shoot at things when he was supposed to be covering a team mate. 

Bridget and Sarah enjoyed talking about books Bridget had read. _I need to look into getting her a Kindle, or some kind of ebook reader. She would love that._ Bridget was also the fashionista in the family and they occasionally watched those TV shows about what women should and shouldn't wear. Grabbing the soap she remembered she wanted to check on a show she had heard of, _Project Runway_ or something like that. Bridget might like that. 

Martie was sweet, shy and quiet, but also extremely observant. She noticed things about the people around her that sometimes Sarah didn't even notice. Martie craved time with Sarah and when the two of them were alone, they just sat and talked about the things Martie wanted to talk about. As she turned off the water and grabbed a towel, Sarah was quickly coming to realize how much the kids, each in their own way, missed their mother. 

_And then there's Megan,_ Sarah smiled, stepping out of the shower and wrapping herself in her towel. Rather than being frightened by what happened with the intruder two weeks before, Megan had become even more enamored with anything related to the spy world. She was always asking Sarah about past missions and wanted to know everything there was to know about being a spy. Truth be told, Sarah had a feeling that Megan had what it took for her to become an excellent agent some day. Much to Megan's delight, Sarah had made her a junior agent, which meant she began skulking around the house. Megan never just walked anywhere anymore. Instead, she ghosted from hiding place to hiding place, sneaking from behind doors, and ducking behind couches, chairs and houseplants. Chuck and Sarah shared knowing smiles every time they saw her stealing a peek from around the corner before she entered a room. 

She had also talked Sarah into teaching her some martial arts, at which Megan excelled. For being only five years old, she had a surprising amount of focus and, like a sponge, soaked up everything Sarah taught her. Sarah even bought her a little white karate uniform which she wore every waking moment of every day for a week. She would have even worn it to bed had she been allowed, but Sarah convinced her that spies only slept in pajamas and her karate uniform didn't count. 

Although the other kids regarded Megan's training sessions in the basement with Sarah as part of her obsession with all things spy, Sarah thought it wouldn't be a bad idea to teach the rest of them some martial arts and self defense. They still had no leads on the identity of the mole and with school starting in a few weeks she would feel better if the kids were well prepared. Pulling on her clothes, she reminded herself, I have to get to work on that with the kids if they're going to be ready for school. 

_Aw, crap. I almost forgot. I've got to check in with Graham today, too. I don't know why I bother. It's always the same, "Don't let there be any distractions. Bartowski needs to work on the software."_

"I've got to start writing all this stuff down. Why is this so much more complicated than my other missions?" she mumbled to herself as she left her room and started her day again. 

~ O ~

"Miss Sarah! Miss Sarah!" Lizzie yelled as she dashed through the house toward Sarah, who after her musings earlier in the morning during her shower, decided that she needed to go "old school" and write out her "to do" list. _Carina would give me so much crap for this,_ looking down at the list that was dominated by the kids' needs. 

Lizzie nearly bowled Sarah over as she skittered to a stop at the kitchen table where Sarah sat with a "Talk Nerdy to Me" notepad in front of her. "Whoa! Lizzie, slow down. What's up?" she asked. 

"I just heard Uncle Chuck say Mrs. Smith needs the night off for some reason, something about a meeting." 

Sarah nodded. "Yeah, it came up suddenly. She was being kind of vague about what it was for, but you know your uncle. He's so considerate, he just told her it was no problem and we'd just order pizza." Her eyes grew wide with understanding when she uttered the word. "Pizza," she said again. 

Lizzie sank into the chair next to Sarah, pale and her breathing shallow. Sarah jumped up and ran to the cupboard to get Lizzie a glass of water. 

"You can do this," Sarah encouraged her, handing her the tumbler. "All you have to do is give Wolf the money and ask him how his summer is going. Hopefully he'll respond with more than an unintelligible grunt." 

Lizzie pushed the hair back from her face and smiled weakly. "Will you be there?" 

"Of course I'll support you, but I'm not going to stand right behind you." She thought for a moment and then said, "A window in my bedroom is just above the front door. I can be in my room and listen to everything. Is that okay?" 

Lizzie nodded, relieved. "That would be great. Thanks." 

~ O ~

That evening, pizzas were ordered and soon after, the fateful moment arrived. When the doorbell rang, Lizzie sprinted toward the door, snatched the money off the table next to it and grabbed the doorknob. For just a split second, she stood composing herself. When she felt confident, or as confident as she ever would, she opened the door and found Wolf holding three pizza boxes. 

Lizzie plastered a surprised look on her face. "Wolf, what a cool surprise. I didn't expect you to be delivering our pizzas all the way up here." 

Wolf smiled shyly. Lizzie stepped out through the front door and closed it gently behind her. He handed her the pizzas and she handed him the money. There was an awkward pause. 

From upstairs, Sarah was peeking through her window, inwardly groaning. It was almost too painful to watch. _Ask him how his summer is going!_

Lizzie cleared her throat and said fairly steady voice, "So, Wolf. How's your summer going?" 

Surprised that she actually spoke to him, Wolf croaked, "Good. I've been working a lot, you know, delivering pizza." He flushed. "Well, you already knew that since I'm standing here delivering pizza." 

Sarah swallowed a giggle. _Why are they all so awkward?_

Lizzie made a noncommittal noise. 

"So, um, what's up with you?" Wolf asked. "Have you been down to the village much this summer?" 

"No, I've been stuck up here most of the time. My uncle doesn't like us to go down to the village by ourselves." 

"Right. Your uncle." Wolf glanced up and round at the exterior of the house. "So is he here now? Does he work from home then?" 

Lizzie nodded. 

"What exactly does your uncle do, anyways?" 

"Um, he writes software." _Boys are weird. Why does he want to know what Uncle Chuck does for a living?_ "Why do you ask?" 

Wolf shrugged. "No reason. Just wondering." His eyes shifted back to her and said, "How about coming down to the village some afternoon? A bunch of us from school like to go and hang out." Wolf kicked at a small pebble with the toe of his shoe. 

Lizzie grinned at the invitation. "I'd love to!" Her excitement faded, however, when she remembered, "I'll have to get permission from my uncle, first." 

"Permission!" Wolf scoffed. Leaning forward, he whispered, "Just sneak out. Climb down that trellis over there or something," and pointed towards the proposed escape route. "He'll never know you're gone." 

Lizzie snorted and glanced up toward Sarah's window, thinking about the CIA agent listening through her window. "Yeah, Wolf, no. That's not a good idea. They'll know." 

"Okay, well, then just ask for permission and then drive down for a little while." 

Lizzie blushed. "I can't do that. I don't have my driver's license yet," she said quietly, embarrassed by that confession. 

"Really? But you're sixteen." Wolf looked utterly confused. "Aren't you going on seventeen?" 

She twisted her fingers around each other nervously. "Um, yeah." 

"Well, okay," he shrugged. "Hope to see you there anyway." He gave her a half a wave, turned on his heel and walked back to his car. In a cloud of dust he was gone. 

Lizzie watched him drive away. She blinked back tears of embarrassment, turned and went back into the house. 

Sarah, having heard the conversation, knew Lizzie would be upset and ran down the stairs. Lizzie, staring blankly, was shuffling numbly across the floor, pizzas still in hand. 

"Lizzie?" Sarah said gently, "Do you want to talk about it?" 

Lizzie wagged her head, starting to shake it no. It quickly turned into a nod. "Yeah," she said glumly. 

Taking the pizzas from Lizzie, Sarah left her standing there, motionless, while she quickly carried the dinner into the kitchen. Walking back toward the girl, she whipped out her iPhone and texted everyone in the house letting them know pizza had arrived. 

Returning the phone to her pocket, she glanced worriedly at Lizzie. 

Chuck wandered out of his office toward the kitchen. His eyebrows shot up when he saw Lizzie staring at the floor and gave Sarah a look of curiosity and concern. She caught his eye, pursed her lips and shook her head slightly. As he approached her, she stopped him with a hand to the forearm, leaned in closely and she whispered, "You take care of the others. I've got this," tipping her head toward Lizzie. 

He nodded his understanding, gratitude and relief showing clearly on his face. 

Sarah moved to Lizzie's side and asked quietly, "Do you want to go outside and sit on the bench?" 

"Sure, whatever," came the mumbled reply. 

Sarah led her through the back doors, down the stairs and across the grass to the bench that was placed not too far from the gazebo. They settled down next to each other, Sarah's outstretched legs crossed at the ankles and Lizzie hunched over and nearly curled into a ball, rocking slightly. _Fetal position. Never good._

They sat, neither saying a word, for several minutes. Sarah stared out over the grassy yard and Lizzie gazed unfocused at her feet. Sarah waited patiently, having learned long ago that the best way to get someone to talk was to shut up and listen. Finally, Lizzie mumbled, "I'm going to have to be homeschooled." 

"What?" Sarah glanced over at her. "Why?" 

"Because I'll never be able to show my face at school, ever again." 

"Just because you don't drive yet?" 

She nodded miserably. "People at school already think I'm weird because hardly go out and I live with my 'dork uncle.'" 

Sarah scowled at that description of Chuck. "Have you tried talking to your Uncle Chuck?" 

Lizzie nodded again, just as sadly as the time before. "He says I'm not ready and that he only wants to keep me safe." She glanced at Sarah and said, "He can be kind of overprotective." 

"You just want to go out on your own a little, is that it? And driving is a part of that?" 

Lizzie nodded and ran her hands through her hair. 

(Sung to the tune "Sixteen going on Seventeen") 

I am sixteen going on seventeen  
I want to learn to drive.  
Then I'd be glad  
And not feel so bad.  
My life with my friends would thrive.

I am sixteen going on seventeen  
I need to get a car.  
Just for some fun  
It won't cost a ton.  
I promise to not go far. 

Chuck thinks I'm much too young for this,  
For some in-de-pen-dence.  
He's sure with me behind the wheel  
I'm sure to hit a fence. 

I need someone older and wiser  
Helping me to get through  
I am sixteen going on seventeenWh-at's a gi-rl to do? 

Sarah: 

You are sixteen going on seventeen  
I get you want some wheels.  
It's really cool  
To drive to your school.  
I know how you really feel. 

You need someone older and wiser  
Helping you to get through.  
I am thirty going on thirty-one  
I'll ta-lk to Chu-uck for you. 

"Really? You'll help me?" Lizzie said, almost afraid to believe it. 

"Mmhmm. I'll talk to him, but I can't promise anything. He may have his reasons for not wanting you to drive. In the end, it's his decision." She raised her eyebrows, silently asking Lizzie if she understood. 

Lizzie nodded solemnly in reply. "I know." She brightened suddenly. "Can you talk to him right now?" 

Sarah laughed. "I'll talk to him tonight, after everyone is in bed. I promise." 

"Okay." 

Sarah stood up and extended her hand. Lizzie gripped it and Sarah pulled her to her feet. Arm in arm they walked back toward the house. 

~ O ~

"I get the feeling you need to talk to me about something," Chuck ventured, sitting with one leg folded up in front of him and his side leaning against the back of the living room couch. An arm rested across the top of cushion. 

Sarah sat facing him from the opposite end of the couch. The house was quiet, save the occasional popping and cracking of the wood burning in the fireplace. Although it was only mid-August, a cold front had blown through and at eight thousand feet in elevation, the temperature dropped significantly. Chuck decided a fire in the huge fireplace in the living room was called for and built one for them to enjoy. 

Sarah sat transfixed, staring at the real fire burning real wood in a real fireplace. She had one of those "blue flame" fake fireplaces in her apartment in DC and the experience didn't compare: the warmth of the fire, the faint smoky smell it gave off, the wine she sipped. The room glowed as the firelight flickered and danced. She heaved a contented sigh, _I could get used to this._

"That bad, huh?" Chuck said, more than a little concerned by her silence. 

Her eyes snapped to his face when she realized he was speaking to her. "Oh, I'm sorry, Chuck. I zoned out for a minute." Seeing the look on his face, she said quickly, "Oh, it's not that big of a deal. It's about Lizzie and mostly 'boy stuff.' There is one thing, though, she asked me to talk to you about." 

"She couldn't come talk to me herself?" he asked, a little surprised. 

"She said she's talked to you about this before and asked me to speak to you about it, too." 

His eyebrows shot up, questioning. 

"It kind of came up today when Wolf, the pizza kid, was here." He stayed silent, letting Sarah go at her own pace. She took at deep breath and said, "Chuck, Lizzie wants to learn to drive." 

She held her breath, waiting for his reaction. Her stomach dropped when she saw his face lose all its natural warmth and become like a mask. His eyes dulled and his voice was flat when he said, "No. I can't let her do that." 

_That just seems so unreasonable._ "Chuck, it's not only about the car. She's sixteen and wants to go do things with her friends. She feels isolated up here. If she had a car, she could go out and do things with her friends more often." Her voice became more animated as she spoke up for Lizzie. _It's no fun being a teenager with no friends. I should know._

Chuck's eyes flashed and his face hardened. "Sarah, this is not your concern," he said quietly, obviously trying to control his emotions. 

She was taken aback by his reaction, never having seen him like this before. He usually was so open and friendly and warm and funny and… "I know, Chuck. I'm sorry, but I promised Lizzie I would talk to you about it." 

He slowly reached out, grabbed his wine glass, took a sip and placed it back on the coffee table. Sarah had seen this kind of body language a thousand times before. _He's thinking, trying to figure out what he wants to tell me, if anything._

"Help me understand, Chuck. If I understand why, I can try to explain it to Lizzie." She gazed into his face. "Otherwise, she might grow to resent you because she thinks you're being unreasonable." 

Sarah saw the turmoil on his face as he thought about what she had just said. His inner struggle ended when he sagged sideways into the back of the couch and ran a hand over his face. She had rarely seen such sadness. "You're right, Sarah. I know you're right. It's just that… I…" he hesitated. "I can't do it again." 

"Do what?" she asked gently. 

He turned his head, staring at the fire. "I can't take the chance of losing anyone else," he whispered. His anguish cut through her like a knife. 

Her breath caught and her eyes burned, feeling his pain. This was never about the driving. 

She fought the urge to wrap him in her arms and hold him close. _I would do the same for any of the kids,_ she convinced herself. Instead, she said quietly, "Tell me about them." 

He turned back toward her and looked fully into her face. His eyes were red-rimmed, but the pain seemed to have receded. "Really?" he asked with a weak smile. 

She pulled a knee up, put her elbow on it and rested her cheek on the folded back forearm. "Mm-hmm. I'd love to hear about your sister and her husband." 

The life began to slowly return to his eyes. "Eleanor, Ellie, was five years older than me and basically raised me from the time I was eleven." 

Sarah's eyebrows furrowed at that statement. "What about your parents?" 

He shrugged. "Our mom disappeared when I was nine and Ellie was fourteen. My dad was around for awhile after that, but he couldn't take the responsibility so he left a couple of years later. I don't know what happened to him or either of them for that matter." There was a hint of bitterness in his voice. 

He took a deep breath and continued. "So Ellie took care of me. She went to UCLA so we could live together and she could take care of me. Her freshman year she met a guy named Devon Woodcomb." Chuck smiled at the memory of his brother-in-law. "He was awesome at everything he did. My nickname for him was Captain Awesome, as a matter-of-fact." 

He seemed to be enjoying talking about his sister and her husband and Sarah smiled her encouragement for him to continue. "Do you have any pictures?" 

He smiled shyly. "I didn't want to bore you with them. But since you asked…" He opened a door on the end table next to him and pulled out a photo album. He scooted to the center of the couch and opened the album and held it in his lap. Sarah moved next to him and pulled one side of the album onto her lap. 

"That's Ellie," he said, pointing to a beautiful young woman with hazel eyes and long brown hair. Smiling back at Sarah was a picture of a woman with intelligence and determination. "She looks like she was a smart and strong person." 

Chuck chuckled. "Yeah, you didn't mess with Ellie." 

"And this is Devon?" Sarah asked, pointing to the handsome blond man standing with his arms wrapped around Ellie. 

"Mm-hmm." 

Sarah scanned several pictures on the page. "Um, Chuck? Did Devon ever wear a shirt?" 

Chuck's melancholy vanished and his eyes twinkled. "The man worked out all the time." Chuck snorted. "He used to do these crunches where he would hang upside down by his feet and pull himself up. His six pack abs had six packs," he quipped. 

Sarah laughed out loud. "So, they met as freshmen in college. 

Then what happened?" she prompted. 

"They were married their sophomore year and Lizzie was born their junior year. Ellie was just 20 years old, but such a great mom. I still lived with them after they were married because I was still in high school." He sounded apologetic, but Sarah simply nodded as if it made perfect sense. She turned the page and saw a picture of Ellie holding baby Lizzie and Devon grinning from ear to ear with pride. "Proud papa," Sarah noted. 

Chuck grinned. "Yeah, he was. He loved kids." He laughed a little and said, "I guess he would have to if he had seven." 

The smile reached Sarah's eyes. 

He picked up his narrative. "Ellie had planned to go to medical school, but when she had Lizzie and then Fred, she realized her place was with the kids and being there for Devon while he went to med school." 

"What about you? How long did you live with them?" 

"I stayed until I graduated from high school. I moved out when I went to college. By the time I left, the house was pretty full. She and Awesome had three kids by then. I went to Stanford for four years and then moved back to LA where I started writing encryption software as a freelancer." 

_Still no mention of Jill Roberts._

"I got so many jobs writing software, I formed my own company and made some pretty good money," he said without a hint of pride or arrogance. "I was 27. I was having fun and making good money, not a care in the world." 

He turned the page of the photo album. Sarah saw a picture of a smiling Ellie, Devon and Chuck with six of the seven children surrounding them. Chuck was grinning holding Megan, who looked to be just a newborn, in his arms. 

A wistful look crossed Chuck's face. He sighed and continued, "Less than a year later…" 

Sarah placed a hand gently on his arm. "Chuck, you don't have to…" 

"No, Sarah, it's okay." He looked into her eyes, "I want… I need to tell you about it." 

She nodded a little, her eyes captured by his. She was sure her heart skipped a beat. 

He tore his eyes away, looked down at the photo album and took a deep breath. "Ellie went to pick Devon up at work. They only had the one van and the babysitter was with the kids." He stopped. 

She squeezed his arm, "Chuck…" 

He turned and looked at her, anger darkening his face. "It was a drunk driver, Sarah. Ellie and Devon were killed instantly." He swallowed hard and looked away. "And the guy who hit them walked away without a scratch." 

Her heart broke for him and his family. She swallowed hard and blinked a couple of times. "So you ended up with the kids." She thought for a moment. "What about Devon's family? Couldn't they have taken the kids?" 

Chuck nodded, "Devon had two brothers, each who have kids of their own. Between his brothers and his parents, they would have taken the kids in." 

"So why didn't they?" 

He stared down at the photo of the whole family. "They would have split the kids up." 

She made a sound of protest. 

Hearing her reaction, he turned to her, his eyes willing her to understand. "The kids were the only family I had left. I wasn't going to lose them, too. I couldn't allow them to be split up. We needed a fresh start, so I bought this place and moved the kids here." 

"Chuck, I don't know what to say." She had never met anyone like him before. "Do you know how special you are?" 

His brows furrowed, utterly confused by her question. 

_Of course he doesn't. That's what makes him so special._ "How many 28 year old men give up everything to take in seven kids, move to a new state and give them a home?" _I would have loved to have had a family and a real home._

He shrugged, a little embarrassed. "It was never a sacrifice." 

The hand that had rested on his arm started to move toward his face. She yearned to place the hand on his cheek, but she pulled it away and placed it in her lap. _Careful, Agent Walker._

"The kids are lucky to have you. You're an incredible dad." 

He glanced up at her and shook his head. 

Her smile was gentle. "You may be their uncle in name, but you're their dad in action." She moved her head and locked eyes with him again. "And, as hard as it might be, dads have to know when to let their little girls grow up," she said softly. 

Looking into her eyes, he flashed a confused smile. Then her words registered and his shoulders sagged and his defenses crumbled. He understood. "You're right," he said. 

Relaxing, he leaned toward her and bumped her shoulder with his. "When did you become so wise when it comes to kids, Agent Walker?" he teased. 

She exhaled and gave him a relieved smile. Giving him a gentle nudge back, she said, "I've been watching and learning from the best for the last three weeks." 

He smiled at the compliment. 

Her eyes twinkled, "And of course, everything else I learned came from _Nannying for Dummies._ " 

Chuckling, he closed the photo album and left it on his lap. "So, oh wise one, where do we go from here?" 

"We take it slow." She thought for a moment. "Let's all go down to the village tomorrow afternoon and let Lizzie go hang out with her friends for awhile while the rest of us find things to do. We can keep an eye on her and make sure she's okay while she gets a chance to gain just a little independence for a short time. Then we can all have dinner together. You can see for yourself that she'll be okay." 

He raised an eyebrow. 

"I promise that nothing will happen to her. Protecting her, you…all of you…is my job, remember?" 

His eyes clouded. "I remember…" 

She flashed him a brilliant smile. "Besides, I promised you when the kids and I went on our hike a couple of weeks ago that the next time we went on a family adventure, you could come along. You won't have to stay in the house this time, Chuck." 

A lazy smile formed on his lips. "Well, I am looking forward that." After a moment, he said, "Wait, what about the CIA always telling you to make sure I'm not distracted from working?" 

She shrugged, "'All work and no play,' right Chuck?" 

His smile turned to a grin. 

Sigh. Before she could stop it, a hand reached up and fixed his collar. "We'll go tomorrow, okay?" Electricity seemed to arc between them and her whole body tingled. 

He swallowed and croaked, "Okay."


	7. Chapter 7

"Casey, is everything in place?" Sarah said into her iPhone while pacing around her bedroom. She needed a quiet location to speak with him and with all the excitement and racket going on downstairs, this was the only place she could find. 

"Affirmative," he answered. "Agents Cole and Barker will be in the van, continuing to surveil the house. Agents Barstow and Vegas will be in the village, blending in as tourists. They'll be shadowing you the whole time you're down here." 

"Make sure when Lizzie goes off by herself to meet with her friends, one of the agents is covering her," Sarah reminded him. 

Casey growled, "Not my first time on a protection detail, Walker." 

"Right, sorry. It's just that if anything happens to any of the kids on this little outing, Chuck will never let them leave the house ever again." 

The grunt from the Casey indicated he heard but didn't really care. 

"Where will you be?" she asked. 

His hesitation indicated he was less than thrilled with his assigned post. "I'll be working at the restaurant you'll be eating at. Some place called The Salzburg Essen Platz." 

"Casey, that's not the way you say restaurant in German." 

"I didn't name it! That just what it's called," he groused. "I'll make sure that I'm working the table for," he stopped and did some quick mental math, "nine. Man, that's a big family." 

Sarah chuckled. "Yeah, and it seems like twice as many kids right now. As soon as we told them this morning that we were going down to the village today, they've been bouncing off the walls, they're so excited." 

"Well, good luck watching over that," he responded with a hint of sympathy. 

"Thanks. See you down there," she said. 

"Roger." With that, the call ended. 

She put her phone back in her pocket and grabbed the rest of her stuff. Approaching this outing like a covert mission, she pulled up the leg of her pants and strapped her throwing knives to her calf. She fastened a holster onto the other leg and slid a small pistol into it. Finally, she shoved her Smith & Wesson into her bag. Armed and ready to go, she slung her bag over her shoulder, left her room and started down the stairs. 

As she arrived at the bottom she noticed a small blonde blur bouncing up and down on the living room couch. "Megan, you need to get…" 

"Miss Sarah!" Megan cried, as she stopped jumping and started to run at her across the cushions at full tilt. When she reached the end of the sofa, she bounced once and flung herself at Sarah, literally flying through the air. Sarah had just enough time to drop her bag to the floor, reach out her arms and catch the little girl flying at her. 

" _Oof,_ " she grunted as she gathered the airborne child into her arms. Sarah's heart pounded. "Sweetie, you shouldn't do stuff like that," she scolded. "What if I'd dropped you?" 

Megan maneuvered herself so her hands were around Sarah's neck and her legs wrapped around Sarah's waist. Face-to-face, Megan said solemnly, "You would never drop me. You promised to never let anything ever happen to me." 

Sarah swallowed hard when she saw nothing but absolute trust on Megan's face. Sarah hugged the girl to her chest and whispered, "You're right. I'll never let anything happen to you." She pulled away from Megan and said with a frown, "But give me some warning next time you launch yourself at me, would you?" 

Megan giggled. "Okay." 

Sarah set Megan down on her feet and picked up her bag. "You look ready to go." She looked over the little girl. Something was different. "Hey! You're wearing regular clothes today." 

She nodded mournfully. "Uncle Chuck won't let me wear my martial arts uniform to the village." 

Sarah gently tugged at a pigtail, "He's right. You need to wear regular clothes when we go out in public." 

Megan's frown told her she didn't agree. 

Needing to change the subject quickly, Sarah said, "I like your pigtails. Who tied them up for you?" 

Megan gave her a huge grin and snapped her head back and forth quickly, causing the pigtails to fly out and then whack her in the face. Delighted, she continued with her little game. "Lisa put them in." 

"Well, I'll have to compliment her on them. She did a great job." 

Megan stopped the head whipping, clutched at Sarah's leg and swayed a little until she regained her balance. Sarah could only shake her head. "Where's everyone else?" 

The moment the words left her lips, she felt her phone vibrate. She and Megan pulled their phones out simultaneously and looked at their screens. Chuck had sent out instructions to meet in the living room in two minutes. In one minute, the room was filled with talking, laughing, excited children. 

Chuck was the last to arrive. "Okay, everyone. Grab a seat for a minute. Miss Sarah and I need to brief you before we head off down to the village." 

Seven sighs were heard as they all found seats. They knew what was coming. Uncle Chuck always had this kind of briefing before they went anywhere, they not quite understanding that keeping track of seven children was much like herding cats. 

Chuck and Sarah stood in front of the fireplace, all eyes on them. Sarah deferred to Chuck who started, "We're all excited about going to the village for the afternoon." Sarah grinned at the eyes shining back at them. "But," he continued, "we have some rules you need to follow. First, there will be no wandering off. You all must stay with us the whole time. If you have to go to the bathroom, let us know. What did I just say?" 

"There will be no wandering off," they all intoned, unenthusiastically. Sarah pressed her lips together so as to not betray a smirk. 

"Good. Second, there will be no whining." 

That statement induced even more sighs. 

Sarah, noticing that the natives were getting restless, stepped in. "There're lots of fun things to do, so if you want to do something, just let us know. If we say no, there's to be…?" 

"No whining," they intoned once more. 

Chuck looked to Sarah who gave him a small nod. Grins erupted on their faces and Chuck shouted, "Okay! Go get in the van." 

The kids yelled, jumped up and ran to the door that led to the garage. 

Chuck looked over to Sarah. "Are you ready for this?" 

She gave him a sly look. "I'm ready." 

He stepped back and looked her up and down. He leaned close and whispered in her ear, "You're armed, aren't you?" 

His breath in her ear gave her goosebumps. _Two can play at that game, Mr. Bartowski._ She moved her lips next to his ear and breathed, "You'll never know." 

She smiled when she saw him completely seize up, like the rusted Tin Man. She allowed herself to touch his face when she gently patted his cheek a couple of times and said, "Come on, Chuck. The kids are waiting." He remained frozen in place. Grabbing him by the front of his shirt, she pulled at it until he started to move, still half-stunned and led him to the van. 

~ O ~

Sarah rode shotgun as Chuck drove the van down the hill to the village. The vehicle was not a minivan that only seated seven. This was one of those big conversion vans that she had admired when she was a little girl. She remembered thinking as a child how fun it would have been to have a family to go on adventures with such a cool van. 

Checking over her shoulder, she made sure the kids were behaving. Long ago, Chuck had given the children assigned seating in the van to ensure that the most volatile mixture of personalities was avoided, which really meant that the boys sat as far away from each other as possible. The kids were chatting excitedly, and so far, things were going smoothly. 

Sarah gave Lizzie a wink who happily smiled back. Sarah turned back around and said to Chuck, "Lizzie looks nice, don't you think?" 

He cut his eyes toward her and sighed, "I take it you had something to do with the makeup she's wearing?" 

"Maybe," she answered evasively. She grinned, "Don't you think the mascara really make her blue eyes pop?" 

Chuck groaned as his eyes returned to the road ahead of him. "I don't want anything 'popping' on her." He smiled despite himself. "She really is a beautiful girl, isn't she?" he asked proudly. 

"She really is, Chuck." Wanting to allay his fears, she said, "She'll be okay, today. I promise." 

His eyes remained on the road when he answered, "I know. I trust you." 

"Thanks." She sent a quick text and put her phone in her pocket. "Just letting Casey know we're on our way." 

He shot her a confused look. 

"I can't both cover you and watch Lizzie when she goes off with her friends." She smirked, "I'm good, but I'm not _that_ good." 

He grinned. 

"I'll be with you and the kids and there'll be an agent following us as backup. His partner will watch Lizzie whenever she's not with us. Casey will be working at the restaurant where we'll eat dinner." 

"And what restaurant is that?" 

"The Salzburg Essen Platz." 

A pleased smile formed on Chuck's face. 

She smiled back, even though she didn't know why. "What?" 

His smile grew. "You'll see." 

"Tell me," she begged. 

He ignored her as he maneuvered the van into a parking spot. Turning off the engine, he turned to the kids behind him and said, "We're here!" 

A cheer erupted and seatbelts were unbuckled. 

"Everyone remember the rules?" Chuck asked. 

Groans erupted and Sarah intervened. "Chuck, they'll be fine." 

"Okay, you're right." He gave Lizzie a smile and announced, "Lizzie will be with the family for a while and then she's going to go hang out with her friends until dinner." 

The older kids were obviously jealous of Lizzie's newfound freedom. The three younger girls looked at their oldest sister like she was a rock star. Lizzie simply grinned with excitement. 

"Okay, everybody out!" 

The kids tumbled out of the van and started toward the village. Sarah grabbed her bag and jumped down from her seat. Slamming the door, she scanned the area looking for the protection detail. As soon as they entered the village proper, she spotted the two agents sitting on a bench and gave them a small nod. They stood and seemingly wandered away, but were actually moving into position. 

She looked around her, taking in the area. Most of the architecture in the ski resort towns of Colorado had an alpine influence and Beaver Creek village was no exception. At the town center stood a tall clock tower with a clock face on each of its four sides. The buildings were light colored stucco accented by rich, dark brown wood. Flower boxes full of colorful blooms hung under windows, giving the village an old world feel. The village was mostly comprised of shops, cafés, restaurants and condos. 

They walked to and then stopped by the fountain at the center of the town square, beneath the clock. 

"Wow, Chuck, this place is great," Sarah said, glancing around. 

He grinned and nodded. "Okay," he asked everyone, "what should we do first?" 

The kids scanned the area and Lisa pointed to a rack of bicycles. "We could rent bikes and go for a ride." 

"Nope. One fall and we all end up in a mangled pile of bent wheels and twisted handlebars," Chuck replied immediately. "Our goal today is to not end up in the emergency room with any broken bones, abrasions and or contusions. Next?" 

This time Fred spoke up. "There's a small lake right over there," he said, pointing to his left. "They have rowboats for rent. We could go for a boat ride." 

Sarah vetoed the idea. "I don't think so. One of you stands up and we all flip over the sides and end up in the water." After a moment of consideration, heads nodded in agreement. 

Curtis pointed toward a four sided grey monolith rising up twenty-five feet into the air. It was textured to look like rock and the side was scattered with colorful plastic bumps attached at irregular intervals. "Hey, look! There's a rock climbing wall!" 

Chuck glanced over at Sarah who shrugged a little and nodded. "They'll be roped and harnessed into a belay system." 

"And they make them wear helmets." He looked at the family around him and said, "Let's go climbing!" 

He didn't have to say another word as the group moved off toward the wall. Lizzie, however, looked to Sarah who gave her a nod of encouragement. 

Lizzie walked next to Chuck and said, "Uncle Chuck? Is it okay if I go find my friends? We're all going to meet by the outdoor ice rink." 

His stride faltered and a worried look crossed his face. 

"Chuck, it'll be okay. I promise," Sarah said, giving him the same encouraging nod she had given Lizzie just a moment before. "Remember, a little independence for Lizzie? Taking it slow?" 

It was clear he didn't want her to leave, but he nodded and sighed, "Yeah, sure, Lizzie. Go ahead." 

"Thank you!" she cried, gave her uncle a hug and quickly started off toward the ice rink. 

"Meet us at the fountain at five-thirty," he called after her. 

She turned and walking backward, shouted back. "I'll be there." She turned around again and hustled toward her destination. 

Sarah watched Lizzie walk away and breathed her own sigh of relief when one of the agents followed Lizzie down the brick covered walkway. 

Turning to Chuck, she said with a smile, "Let's go have the kids climb a wall!" 

~ O ~

It was a surprise to absolutely no one that Fred and Megan wanted to be the first to climb up the wall. However, since Curtis was the one who spotted the attraction and Chuck didn't trust the boys to climb at the same time without them somehow messing with each other, Curtis and Megan were the first to climb. Both listened intently and nodded their understanding when the men in charge of the wall explained the importance of the climber communicating with their belayer. Sarah couldn't hide the smile that erupted when she heard Megan say in her young, but confident voice, "On belay?" The man on belay for her couldn't help but grin at Megan and wink his approval of the little girl at Sarah when he replied, "Belay on." 

"Climbing," Megan announced. 

"Climb on," came the amused reply. 

Again, it was a surprise to no one when Megan excelled at climbing, scampering up the wall like a spider. Curtis turned out to be an excellent climber as well and both he and Megan reached the top and rang their bells at exactly the same time. 

Megan's belayer called up to her, "You ready to come down?" 

"Yeah," replied the little voice from high up. "Tension?" 

"Tension," the man replied. 

Sarah saw Chuck's face pale slightly when Megan let go of the wall with her hands and push away from it with her feet. She giggled as she was gently lowed to the ground, landing lightly on her feet. Curtis landed just after Megan. 

"That was _fun!_ " Megan cried as the man helped her out of her harness. "Can I go again?" she called to Sarah. 

"Maybe, but you have to give your brothers and sisters a chance first," came Sarah's reply. 

"You've got one talented little girl there," the man said to Sarah amicably. 

"She sure is," Sarah said proudly. 

"Would you like a turn?" he asked. 

She glanced over to Chuck. "I think we should climb the wall ourselves after the kids have had their chance." Turning to the kids, she asked, "What do you guys think?" 

There were shouts of affirmation and much jumping about. 

"I'll try. I've never climbed before though," he said sheepishly. 

"That's okay, Chuck. I'll help you," Sarah replied. 

He gave her an unsure smile. "Okay, who's up next?" Chuck asked. 

And so it went. Lisa and Bridget went next, followed by Fred and Martie. At first, Martie was reluctant to try, but with a little coaxing from Sarah, she easily climbed to the top and rang the bell. The size of the grins on Chuck and Sarah's faces were only surpassed by Martie's as she returned to the ground. 

Each kid had one more climb and then it was Chuck and Sarah's turns. Handing her bag to Lisa, she said in a stern voice, "Don't let this out of your hands." She looked into Lisa's eyes and waited. 

Lisa's eyes widened and said, "You mean your g-" 

"Yes," was her quick reply. 

Lisa swallowed hard and nodded. Sarah patted her arm and gave her a calming smile. "Now I have to go beat your uncle up that wall," she whispered. 

As she was stepping into her harness, she called over to Chuck, "You ready for your smack down, Chuck?" 

"Don't let her talk to you that way," the boys shouted and laughed. 

The girls called out to Sarah, "Come on! You can beat him. Girl power!" 

The belay man was getting into the fun as well. As he pulled tension into the rope, he leaned over to Sarah and whispered, "You can beat him." 

She winked back and said, "Oh, I know I can. I'm just wondering by how much I should beat him." 

He laughed. "Male egos can be fragile. Go easy on him." 

She grinned and said, "Duly noted. Thanks for the tip." 

When they both were ready and on belay, Fred shouted, "Ready, set, GO!" 

Sarah grabbed the first hand hold and put her left foot on the lowest foot hold. Pushing with her leg, she raised herself up to the next hand hold. Moving her right foot to the next foot hold, she stepped on it and lifted herself further up the wall. After another minute, she glanced over at Chuck, who was well below her and already laboring. 

"Chuck," she called. 

"Kinda busy right now, Sarah," he puffed. 

"No, Chuck. Use your legs. Don't pull yourself with your arms. Push with your legs." 

She stayed in place, hanging on the wall and watched him as he changed from using his arms too much to using his legs more. 

"There you go, Chuck! Good job," she said happily as she waited for him to catch up with her. Once he had done so, she started climbing again. With his technique improved, he was much quicker but she still handily beat him to the top. 

_Crap! I should've gone slower._ She hung at the top in her harness, waiting for him to reach the top and ring the bell. When he did so, she couldn't help but grin at the look on his face. His eyes were shining with excitement and he was grinning like a loon. 

Both were grinning and laughing as they were lowered to the ground. 

Their feet had barely touched down when Chuck pulled his helmet off and ran to Sarah, both of them still in their harnesses. 

"Sarah, that was awesome! You were awesome!" He pulled her into a tight hug and then released her, still keeping his hands on her shoulders. "Can we do that again?" 

_What? The hug? Oh, yes… No, he means the climb._ She shook her head, "That would mean that the kids would take another turn too and I don't think we have time for that." 

Chuck mock pouted, "Awww… you're just afraid I'd beat you this time." 

She looked into his eyes, enjoying his hands still on her shoulders. "And what if I did beat you the next time, too?" 

"I would just have to keep trying until I win. Never give up, right?" he said his eyes boring into hers. He dropped his hands from her shoulders and stepped toward his belayer. 

_Apparently his male ego isn't that fragile._

Her eyes danced as she approached her belayer to help her off with her harness. "You have a wonderful family there, ma'am," the belay man said, looking into her face. "You're lucky. Treasure them always." 

He said it with such gravity and sincerity that it made her take in a sharp breath. She swallowed hard, nodded and croaked, "I will." 

~ O ~

After the climbing wall came a highly competitive game of miniature golf. Bridget won, beating Chuck, who had the next closest score, by two strokes. Megan's frustration level peaked at the sixth hole where she dropped her club, sat on the ground and folded her arms in disgust. Sarah wouldn't allow her to quit, however, and Megan finished the round in last place, a scowl permanently fixed on her face. 

On their way back to the fountain to meet up with Lizzie, they strolled through the farmers' market set up at the edge of the village. Sarah stopped by one of the vendors and looked at the apples, oranges, tomatoes and bananas being sold. She paid the vendor, grabbed a plastic bag and handed it to Lisa. Sarah took an apple, handed it to Curtis next to her, who handed it to Fred, who handed it to Bridget who placed it in Lisa's bag. They did this several times with both apples and oranges. 

Sarah didn't know exactly what possessed her to do what she did next, but she was having so much fun, she decided to do it anyway. She grabbed two tomatoes in each hand and cutting a sly look to the kids on her left, she waved and crossed her arms, pretending to juggle them, even though they never left her hands. Next to her, Curtis chuckled the whole time. Putting on a bemused look, she smirked at the kids, put two of the tomatoes down and proceeded to successfully juggle the remaining two several times which earned her rousing applause from the kids. She then tossed one of the tomatoes to Martie, who smiling, caught it and placed it in Lisa's bag. Sarah tossed the other to Megan, who missed it. The tomato hit her in the chest and fell to the ground with a splat. 

Megan looked up at Sarah. A lower lip stuck out and it looked like Megan was about to cry. With one hand on her hip and a stern look on her face, Sarah held up her index finger at Megan, indicating to her that she needed to stop and not cry. A couple of tense seconds passed before Megan relaxed and a smile slowly appeared on her face. 

"How about we get some blueberries? There's always blueberries. And wait until you try them with cream." The little girl nodded, her smile growing into a grin as she watched Sarah dart into a stall and pick up the treats. 

They walked away from the market and sat down on a grassy area under the shade of a tree. The kids were hungry, so Sarah whipped out one of her knives and sliced up three apples with speed and precision. She wiped the blade clean and returned it to its holster when she noticed the looks on their faces. Eyes were wide with shock and awe. 

"That had to be the coolest thing I've ever seen," Fred breathed reverently. 

The rest of them, including Chuck, nodded silently. 

She smiled and passed out the slices of apple. "Just eat your snack. Megan, here are your blueberries." 

They arrived back at the fountain a few minutes before five-thirty. The kids ran, chased and played on the edge of the fountain as they waited for Lizzie to meet them. 

An older gentleman approached Chuck causing Sarah to tense and move closer to him. She relaxed slightly when Chuck smiled and extended his hand, which the man shook. Turning to Sarah, he said, "Sarah, this is my plumber and friend, Christopher Trapp. Christopher, this is my nanny, Sarah Walker." 

Sarah shook his proffered hand. She was surprised that the man before was a plumber. He looked more like an aristocratic sea captain. 

"Chuck, taking the family out for the day, I see. Wonderful," he said in a smooth, baritone voice. 

"Yeah, it seemed like a fun way to spend the day. Right, Sarah?" 

She nodded, watching Mr. Trapp carefully. "What brings you here, Mr. Trapp?" she asked. 

"Oh, well, you know. This and that," he answered. "It's a nice day and I didn't have any work lined up, so I thought I'd come down and 'hang out' as the kids say." 

Chuck nodded and smiled. 

"You're looking wonderful, Chuck. Last time I saw you, you really needed a good night's sleep." Turning to Sarah, he smiled and said, "I guess you have something to do with Chuck's return to good health?" 

She smiled and answered, "Well, I like to think my help has had something to do with it." 

"I'm sure it has," he answered, his smile never fading. He turned when Lizzie arrived at the fountain. 

"Lizzie! It's so nice to see you," Christopher said. 

"Mr. Trapp! It's great to see you, too," she replied graciously. 

Glancing past her, Sarah watched the agent who had been following Lizzie walk over to a bench and sit down. _Gold star for you, Agent._

"Well, I'll leave you and your family," Christopher said. "Nice meeting you, Ms. Walker. Good to see you again, Chuck, Lizzie." He turned and walked away. 

Seeing Lizzie's glowing face, Sarah's couldn't wait to find out how her time with her friends went. Lizzie and Sarah locked elbows and trailed behind the rest of the family as they made their way toward the Salzburg Essen Platz. Lizzie chattered excitedly and told Sarah all about what had happened while she was with her friends. Wolf had been there and seemed happy to see her. She said they talked about his job and school starting up again. He had asked if the rest of the family was in the village or if she had come by herself. Lizzie also informed Sarah about another girl who wasn't very happy that Lizzie was there and talking to Wolf so much. 

"Don't worry about her," Sarah advised her as they reached the door to the restaurant. "There's always some girl who isn't going to like you and try to make your life miserable." 

Lizzie's brows furrowed. 

"Personal experience," Sarah clarified as they walked through the door Chuck held open for them. They were immediately greeted by "oom-pah" music being played over the speakers, complete with tubas and clarinets. 

Sarah addressed the seating hostess, who looked to be the same age as Lizzie, and informed her they had a reservation for nine. The young woman's eyes widened at the sheer number of children in the group. 

"Um, we're, like, gonna have to, like, push two tables together," the teenager said eloquently. 

Sarah smiled and said, "We can wait." 

While the hostess scurried off to prepare their table, Sarah took a minute to look around the restaurant. She was surprised and pleased that the décor gave the feeling of Salzburg, which she had been to and enjoyed immensely, without being too kitschy. There were a number of photos on the walls. Stepping closer, she studied the photos of the Hohensalzburg Castle, Nonnberg Abbey, the Gardens of Mirabell with its famous fountain with the winged horse, and Mozart's birthplace. 

She turned away from the photos when she heard the young hostess inform Chuck, "So, like, your table is, like, ready." The nine of them formed a line as they snaked through the restaurant toward their table, gaining stares from already seated patrons. They each found a place to sit with Chuck at the head of the table, Sarah next to him on his right with Martie, Curtis and Lisa to her right. To Chuck's left sat Megan, Lizzie, Fred and Bridget. 

"Do you ever get used to it?" Sarah asked Chuck quietly. 

"What?" he asked, his brows scrunched together. 

"The stares. Do people stare at you everywhere you go?" 

He smiled. "Yeah, people aren't used to seeing this many kids in one family." He shrugged. "I don't notice it anymore. It's my family, you know? I can't picture my life any other way." 

She nodded, his answer not surprising her at all. 

Sarah's initial delight in the restaurant's restraint in décor quickly faded when she saw what the waitresses wore. Each had on a white peasant top with capped white sleeves and low scooped neckline. There were short flouncy red skirts with yellow polka dots and trimmed with a single small white ruffle around the center of the skirt. The crowning glory of the uniform was the black corset like garment that laced up the front. 

"Hey, Miss Sarah!" Megan called from across the table. "The ladies that work here all have their hair in pigtails just like mine!" 

_That's got to be embarrassing for them, having to parade around in clothes like that all the time. I'd never wear an outfit like that. _She smirked when she caught Chuck and Fred craning their necks to watch the waitresses as they passed. "Eyes front, soldiers," she chuckled.__

Chuck and Fred snapped their heads back toward the table and tried to hide their blushing faces behind their menus. 

She scanned the menu, which had a few, but not very many, authentic Austrian dishes. She didn't see any dumplings on the menu and no sausages other than American hot dogs. Most of the offerings were American food with Austrian sounding names. 

Looking at his menu, Curtis giggled. 

"What's so funny?" Lisa asked. 

"Wiener schnitzel," he snorted. "Wiener." 

The table broke out in a fit of giggles. 

Chuck nearly did a spit take as he sipped his water. Sarah rolled her eyes and heaved a huge sigh. _He's only eleven._ "Curtis, wiener is German for something that comes from Vienna, a city in Austria. So wiener schnitzel is a meat dish from Vienna. Schnitzel is coated in bread crumbs and fried. It's a lot like the meat in, say, chicken parmesan." 

Curtis' chortles stopped. "Really? That actually sounds pretty good." He looked at his uncle. "Can I get it?" 

"Only if you can order it without giggling," Chuck replied with a smile. 

Curtis nodded happily and closed his menu, his decision made. 

"Guten tag. Wilkommen to the Salzburg Essen Platz," the waiter growled. "My name is Johan and I'll be your waiter today. Are you ready to order?" 

Without looking up, a smile creased Chuck's face. Having been to the restaurant before, he knew what the waiters wore and what Casey looked like as he stood there, even without looking at him. Sarah was not prepared for it, however and couldn't stop her jaw from dropping. 

For before her stood Major John Casey, he of the National Security Administration, resplendent in a pair of brown lederhosen. Upon his head sat a green Austrian hat, complete with cord around the base of the crown and a feather sticking up on the side. The straps of his lederhosen lay over a long-sleeved white shirt. The ensemble was completed by a pair of white knee-high socks and brown hiking boots. 

Sarah closed her mouth and smiled at Casey. He glared at her, daring her to say a word. She leaned forward and sniffed, "That's an interesting cologne, Johan. Eau de knackwurst?" 

"Shut it, Walker," Casey growled. 

Chuck snickered, which elicited an angry glare and grunt from Casey. 

Sarah looked down the table at the kids, their faces showing confusion at the adults' byplay. "Are you guys ready to order?" Seven heads nodded. Turning back toward Casey, she said in as calm a voice as she could muster, Sarah said, "Why yes, Johan, I believe we are ready to order." 

Martie looked up at Casey and immediately recognized him as the bug man. "Hey, he's the guy wh-mmm" Sarah quickly covered Martie's mouth with her hand. "Martie, sweetie, we'll-" 

Sarah was interrupted when Megan shouted, eyes wide, "Martie's right. He's the mmmm." Chuck's hand landed on Megan's mouth. 

"Everyone, we'll talk about Johan later," she said with a stern look. All heads nodded, including the ones whose mouths were covered. Chuck and Sarah cautiously removed their hands from the youngest girls' faces. 

The occupants of the table were now under control and were able to give Casey their orders. Megan ordered the Salzburg spaghetti, Martie ordered the Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart chicken fingers, Fred ordered the Hamburg hamburger (for which Sarah had to explain that Hamburg was actually in Germany), Bridget ordered the Prussian pizza and the rest ordered the wiener schnitzel. Casey growled, "Danke" and walked away from the table, returning to the kitchen to place their requests. 

As they waited for their food, Sarah noticed that Chuck's eyes followed the waitresses as they moved about the restaurant, dart over to her and then back to the waitresses. 

"Whatcha thinking about, Chuck?" she asked, innocently, knowing full well what he was thinking about. 

His face, neck and ears turned a bright crimson. 

"You like the outfits the waitresses are wearing?" she teased. 

He somehow grew even redder than he was before. 

"Sorry, Chuck. You'll never see me in a getup like that," she laughed, although the thought wasn't as objectionable to her as it had been fifteen minutes before. 

Chuck squirmed in his seat. After taking a gulp of his water, he said, "Sarah, I would never…" 

She chuckled and said, "It's okay, Chuck. I'm just messing with you." 

He eyed her suspiciously and then relaxed when her smile remained. 

A moment later, Sarah noticed two middle aged women sitting down at a table at her four o'clock. 

She paid no further attention to them until one of the women said loudly in an uncomplimentary voice, "My, that's a large family." 

"Mm-hmm," her companion responded noncommittally. 

Sarah glanced over her shoulder, letting the woman know she heard everything she was saying. 

"Seven children! Why do they have seven children?" the woman began again. "I just think," she continued shrilly, "that people should know better than to have so many children nowadays. It's just irresponsible, is what it is." 

Anger churned inside Sarah and her grip slowly closed over her dinner knife which lay on the table. 

Chuck gently placed a hand on her arm and said quietly, "Sarah, just ignore her." 

The calm look on his face helped her anger subside a little. She released the knife and drew in a deep breath. 

The woman, however, was just getting started. "I mean, think about all the taxes we have to pay to put their children through public schools. And the strain it puts on-" 

The woman was cut off when Sarah, who could take no more, spun in her chair and smiled sweetly at her. "I can tell you why we have so many children. He's just so handsome and sexy," nodding toward Chuck who sat with his eyes wide and mouth hanging open, "I can't control myself." 

"Well, I never!" the woman cried. 

Sarah turned back toward her table and muttered, "I bet you've never. Maybe that's your problem." 

The woman sputtered and glared angrily at the back of Sarah's head. 

"What?" Sarah asked when she saw the surprise on everyone's faces. "She's an awful woman!" she whispered fiercely, defending herself. Chuck's jaw remained unhinged, the five older kids snickered and the two younger girls glanced up at everyone else, trying to figure out what was going on. 

After a moment, Chuck's jaw finally closed and Sarah's anger level dropped. The horrible woman grew silent. The kids were well behaved and chatting quietly amongst themselves. Martie and Sarah were talking about the fun they had on the climbing wall when Martie, reaching for her water glass, knocked it over by accident. Napkins were quickly thrown on top of the spill trying to stop it from overtaking the whole table. Sarah noticing the tears forming in Martie's eyes, quickly gave her a hug and said, "Don't worry, honey. It's just water." 

Casey strode quickly to the table with a towel and mopped up the puddle of water and soaked napkins. "I'll get you another glass of water, miss," he said to Martie, who beamed up at him. 

Before he walked away, the woman at the table behind Sarah said loudly, making sure Sarah heard, "Well! I don't think people should take their kids to restaurants if they can't control them." 

Sarah whipped around in her chair, glared at the woman, her hand snaking toward the cache of throwing knives strapped to her calf. 

Her voice was clear and strong when she said, "Leave. My kids. Alone." 

Casey caught Sarah's tone and saw her hand nearly touching the knives. For just a second, he placed a soothing hand on her arm and then stepped up to the woman's table. "Is there a problem?" 

"Yes, that table is much too loud with all those children," she complained. Her mortified companion looked like she wanted to slide under the table and hide. 

"And what, exactly, would you have me do?" he asked in a surprisingly civilized tone. 

"I think you should move us to a different table. One that won't be subjected to all these…children," she spat. 

"Yes, of course, madam. I believe there is a table waiting for you at a completely different restaurant at the other end of the village." He gently took her elbow, helped her out of her chair, marched her past the hostess whose mouth was now hanging open and out the door of the restaurant. 

"We can refuse service to anyone at this establishment, madam. And we refuse to serve you." The woman's companion trailed behind Casey, shooting an apologetic look to Chuck and Sarah's table before she left the restaurant, head down in embarrassment. 

Casey returned to the table and said to Martie, "I'll go get you your water now." 

As he passed, Sarah gently took hold of his arm, stopping him. "Thank you, John," she said quietly, her voice brimming with gratitude. 

He snorted and lifted on side of his mouth in a small grin. "She was a battle axe. Good riddance." As he walked away, he mumbled, "And I bet she'd be a terrible tipper." 

Now that the horrible woman was gone, they were able to enjoy their dinner which was topped off by some delicious warm apfelstrudel. 

~ O ~

The sun was setting behind the mountains when they left the restaurant. It had been a full day and everyone was ready to go home. Sarah was gratified to see the agents watch them from a distance as the family climbed into the van and drove back toward the house. _I need to make sure to report back to Director Graham what an exemplary job Agents Barstow and Vegas did on their protection detail._

It was only a ten minute trip back to the house, but Sarah felt an uncomfortable silence between Chuck and herself as they rode in the front of the van together. 

This was her doing and she had to fix it. She took a deep breath and launched, "Chuck, I'm sorry if I embarrassed you at the restaurant with what I said to that terrible woman. I was just so mad, it sort of… I just… it blurted out before I could stop it." She couldn't look at him, feeling acutely uncomfortable. 

"Premature blurting, Sarah?" he teased. 

His easy manner instantly set her mind at rest. She dared to sneak a peek at him and saw the humor dancing in his eyes. Grateful that he was letting her off the hook, she gave him a tentative smile. 

"Really, Sarah, don't worry about it. I'm used to the stupid things people say about the kids," he paused, "although the woman tonight takes the cake. I've never heard anyone quite so vocal before." He shrugged and glanced over at her. "It made you mad and you just reacted. It's okay. You were just defending the kids." 

Relief flooded through her and she blew out a breath. "Thank you for understanding," she replied, sneaking another peek at him. 

"You're welcome," he replied, grinning. 

By the time the van pulled into the garage, Martie and Megan were both asleep and the rest of the kids were quiet and drowsy. Silent glances passed between the occupants of the van, each child understanding that they were to go upstairs and go to sleep. Sarah lifted Megan from her seat, her cheek lying on Sarah's shoulder, her arms hanging limp at her sides. Chuck picked up Martie, careful to not wake her as he drew her from the van. They carried the two girls up the stairs, pulled back the covers and gently laid them down on their beds. Sarah smoothly slipped the elastic bands from Megan's hair, releasing it from the pigtails. Chuck placed Martie's teddy bear in her arms and Sarah laid Spy Barbie on Megan's pillow. They covered both girls and Chuck switched on the nightlight. Relief washed over their faces when tiptoed out of the room, glad that they had successfully transferred the girls to bed without waking them. 

The rest of the children were quietly getting ready for bed when Chuck and Sarah walked past their rooms and went back downstairs to the garage to retrieve the remainder of everyone's belongings. 

Chuck picked up a sweatshirt from one of the seats and Sarah reached to the back of the vehicle and retrieved Bridget's copy of _Little Women._ Pulling the strap of her bag over her shoulder, she closed the doors of the van. 

"I just need to check my e-mail," he said as they returned to the house. 

She nodded. "And I need to report to Graham." 

While Chuck went into his office and sat down at his computer, Sarah went into the kitchen and called her boss. 

"Agent Walker, how are things going with Bartowski and Project Sun Ray?" 

_He's more than just a software robot,_ she wanted to snark, but instead bit back the comment and replied, "It's going well, sir, although this afternoon I accompanied Chu-, the asset and his family to the local town for some time out with the children." 

"Oh?" 

"Yes, sir. And I would like to commend all the agents on my team. They performed their duties in an exemplary fashion and I am proud to have them on the detail," Sarah said. "Major Casey did an exceptional job in coordinating the security needs for today and went beyond the call of duty in ensuring the safety of the whole family. He is an outstanding agent." 

"Well, that's all well and good, Agent Walker. I'm glad to hear they performed so well. But let me understand this. You, the asset and his children were out together today?" He sounded less than thrilled at this news. 

"Yes, sir," she answered cautiously. _What's the big deal?_

"Is it wise for the asset to be out in public?" 

"He's not a prisoner, sir." She had to work hard to keep the irritation she felt from creeping into her voice. "He needs to get out with his family once in awhile." 

"I realize that, Agent," Graham said forcefully. "However, you must understand how valuable he is to the agency. His security must be your primary and paramount objective." 

"Yes, sir, I understand. And it is." She paused and then added, her annoyance level rising, "Are you questioning my dedication to this mission?" 

"No, Agent Walker," he answered quickly. "Not your dedication. Perhaps your priorities. Safety and software, Agent. No distractions," he once again reminded her. 

Her cheeks began to burn. She wanted to abruptly hang up on him, but instead she merely answered, "Yes sir." 

"Good night, Agent Walker," he intoned and ended the call. 

_Where does he get off questioning my priorities? My priorities are just fine._

~ O ~

Sarah walked from the kitchen at the same time Chuck closed and locked the door to his office. 

As they approached each other he asked, "How was your check in with Graham?" He could see the remnants of her aggravation from her phone call clearly on her face. 

Stopping at the bottom of the stairs, they faced each other. "Same old thing," she answered running her hands through her hair. "How 'bout you? Any interesting e-mails?" 

He quirked an eyebrow. "Two from Director Graham wanting to know how Project Sun Ray was coming along," he chuckled. 

Her jaw dropped. Suddenly, her exasperation with Graham disappeared and laughed with Chuck at the director's single-mindedness. 

"Does he ever leave his office?" he asked, laughing now. 

"Apparently not." Her brow furrowed in thought. "As a matter of fact, I can't think of a time when he wasn't at headquarters in Langley. At least Beckman got out of her office when she was at the abbey with me." 

Chuck's eyebrows shot up. "Abbey?" he asked, his voice breaking just a little. 

She shot him a sideways glance and answered as she started up the stairs toward their bedrooms, "That's a story for another night, Chuck." 

"I can't wait," he said, meaning it as he followed her up the stairs. 

"I had a great time, today. Thank you." A pause was followed by, "Good night, Sarah." 

She smiled, recalling the day's events. _So he liked those waitresses' uniforms, did he?_ "Gute Nacht, Chuck. Schlaf du gut," she replied, putting a little extra sway in her hips as she neared the top of the stairs. The smile grew larger as she heard him stumble behind her.


	8. Chapter 8

Sarah had been living at the Bartowski estate for little over a month when the time came for her to be home alone with the kids. Chuck was scheduled to attend a three day software conference in Denver and he obviously couldn't go without a security detail. Sarah, _obviously_ , would remain at the house with the children. So Casey, _obviously_ , would go with Chuck. At least it was _obvious_ to her. It was not, however, as apparent to Director Graham. During an animated telephone conference between herself, Casey, Beckman and Graham, the director once again began lecturing her that as the team lead, Chuck was her first and only priority and that she should travel with him to Denver on his primary protection detail. 

There was no way she was going to leave the kids with another agent. Based on the way Casey had comported himself when the family was at the village last week, it was clear he would do anything, including wearing lederhosen, to protect his asset. She trusted Casey and knew Chuck would be well protected if Casey guarded him and told the director as much. She also questioned Graham on the logistics of her protecting the asset overnight. Was she supposed to stay in the same hotel room with him? And did he really think Chuck would leave the children with someone he didn't absolutely trust? These arguments seemed to turn Graham's thinking and in the end, Casey was ordered to become Chuck's reluctant roommate and constant companion while at the conference. Casey, of course, was not happy at all about this and made several references to the strong likelihood of him either dying of boredom or being trampled under the feet of every female at the conference center as they stampeded away from the onslaught of computer nerds looking to "download their files." 

Agents Cole and Barker would also be in Denver as Casey's backup while Agents Barstow and Vegas manned the surveillance van at the Bartowski estate. Initially, Graham had wanted to have the van moved from Beaver Creek to Denver to cover Chuck, but Sarah's impassioned plea for continuing a strong protection detail for the children convinced him not to execute that element of the security plan. 

Although Sarah was pleased with the security arrangements made for Chuck and the kids while he was at the conference, she wasn't happy about him leaving for three days. Initially, she thought the uneasy feeling she had was due to the fact her asset was going to be away from her care. But as he left the house and drove down the hill with Casey at the wheel, she realized she, alone, would be in charge of seven children for the next three days. She and the children had grown to trust each other, so that wasn't an issue. It was that she realized how much Chuck's presence, even if he was working in his office, comforted her, knowing he would be there if something went pear shaped with the kids. She smiled ruefully at the idea that Chuck had been her backup all along. 

She also knew that bored kids were a powder keg of fights, snide comments and hurt feelings. As a result, she had prepared a long list of activities for her and the kids to do while Chuck was away. The dust kicked up by Casey's car hadn't even settled before the kids were moping around, their faces gloomy. 

"Oh, come on, guys. He'll only be gone for three days," Sarah said cheerfully. They responded with unenthusiastic groans and looked at her with mournful eyes. 

She clapped her hands together once, getting their attention as they sat slumped on the sofa and chairs in the living room. "Okay, school starts up soon and we need to get you ready." This statement elicited heartbreaking sighs from each of the kids, except Megan, who was excited about attending kindergarten. 

"Please don't make us go buy school supplies, Miss Sarah," Curtis moaned. "That's worse than going to the dentist." 

"Wow, that is bad," she snorted. "No, we aren't going to get school supplies," her eyes twinkled as they smiled, "today. But we will have to do that soon. We'll do that after your uncle gets back." _I'm not taking seven kids shopping by myself. And that Dummies book better have a section on what they're going to need._

"I'm going to prepare you for school, but not in the way you might think." 

Brows furrowed and curious glances were shared. 

She took a deep breath and started, "You know I'm here as a nanny to help your uncle work on software for the government." 

They were attentive and heads nodded at her statement. 

"You've probably also noticed that Mr. Casey keeps…popping up…whenever we go anywhere." 

Eyebrows raised and heads nodded again. 

"The thing is, we're here to protect your Uncle Chuck, and by extension all of you, from anyone who might want to get the software he's working on." 

They all relaxed and laughed softly in relief. "Well, we already knew _that_ , Miss Sarah!" Lisa said. 

"You did?" She was surprised, but knew she shouldn't be. 

"Mm-hmm. First Mr. Casey sweeps for 'bugs,'" Bridget said, rolling her eyes and using her fingers to make air quotes, "and then he comes to the house right away after that person broke in when we were on our hike." 

Martie continued the explanation. "I noticed Mr. Casey when he was the waiter in the restaurant in the village," she added with a soft voice. 

"And then there were the two guys that were in the village. One followed us," Fred started. 

"And the other one followed me when I went off with my friends," Lizzie finished. 

"Why didn't you say anything at the time?" Sarah asked, placing a hand on her forehead in exasperation. 

Lizzie shrugged. "We knew the two men were with you." 

"How did you know?" 

Megan rolled her eyes. "Miss Sarah, you would've known they were following us and done something if they weren't supposed to be." 

Megan said the words with such conviction, it made Sarah catch her breath. She swallowed hard and gazed at the trusting faces looking at her. In her many years of service with the Agency, never had she felt the same weight of responsibility than she did with protecting these kids. 

She blinked hard once and said, "That's why we need to get you ready for school. It will make me feel better if you know some basic self defense." 

Concerned looks passed back and forth amongst the kids. 

"Oh, don't worry. Nothing will happen to you when you go back to school, I promise. I've already cleared it with the schools' principals. There will be agents posted at both places. One agent will be at the high school with Lizzie, Fred and Lisa and the other will be at the K-8 with Curtis, Bridget, Martie and Megan." A huge grin appeared on Megan's face when she was included with her brothers and sisters. "When you're in class, I'll be here with your Uncle Chuck. I'll also be responsible for getting you to school and home again." 

Fred laughed, "Miss Sarah driving carpool." 

A wave of dizziness washed over her and she gripped the cushion of the couch to steady herself. A nervous laugh escaped. Somehow the idea of driving carpool both comforted her and terrified her at the same time. _The kids would be protected but still!_

Trying to regain her equilibrium, she returned to her original idea. "I'll teach you things every kid should know about defending yourself. I've already been teaching Megan," at this Megan sat up straight, beaming with pride, "but I need to work with all of you." 

They eyed Sarah suspiciously. "So what does that mean?" Curtis asked. 

"It means I took the liberty of getting all of you your own karate uniforms and bought mats for the basement. The uniforms are laid out on your beds, except Megan's who is currently wearing hers, of course," Sarah said, winking at Megan. 

The kids' excitement level grew quickly and several were bouncing in their seats with anticipation. 

Sarah stood and waved her hand, shooing them away. "Go! Go get changed and meet Megan and me in the basement." 

Six kids jumped up from their seats and bounded up the stairs and ran down the halls to their rooms. 

Sarah held out a hand to Megan who took hold of it. Together they leisurely strolled to down the stairs to the basement and made sure the mats were in place. 

It took less than five minutes for all seven children to be sitting on mats, facing Sarah. The girls wore white uniforms and the boys wore black. 

"Now, martial arts and self-defense are not all about size and strength. Technique, using leverage and gravity, these are the things that are important," Sarah instructed. 

Fred snorted. "Oh come on, Miss Sarah. You can't tell me that Megan can take me." 

One of Sarah's eyebrow's quirked up as she looked at Megan and said, airily, "You know, Megan, Fred's probably right. But, just for fun, would you like to try?" Sarah moved off the mat and sat on a stool off to the side. 

Megan heaved a sigh and stood, her blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail tied up with a pink ribbon, and positioned herself on the mat. Fred smirked, stood facing Megan and raised himself to his full height. At fourteen, he wasn't as tall as he was going to be one day, but still towered over his littlest sister. 

Sarah sat on the stool, on leg crossed over the other, elbow on her thigh and chin resting on her fist. Her eyes danced with anticipation. "Whenever you're ready, Megan." 

The words were barely out of her mouth when they heard, "Huuunh! Awww!" from Fred, who suddenly found himself lying on his back with Megan's foot on his chest. Sarah smiled at the smirk on Megan's face. The other five kids sat on the floor with their mouths agape. 

Still on his back, he sputtered, "No fair! She surprised me! I wasn't ready!" 

"Okay, Fred. Shall we try it again?" Sarah asked, trying to keep a giggle at bay. 

Megan silently removed her foot from Fred's chest and he quickly scrambled to his feet. His face was red and he glowered at Megan who smiled at him serenely. 

Sarah pressed her lips together when she heard Megan say benevolently, "Okay, Fred. You let me know when you're ready." 

He nodded, bent his knees slightly and raised his hands in front of him at the ready. His face set with determination, he gave a quick nod and said, "Ready." 

In a flash, Fred was once again on his back, this time with Megan's foot gently resting on his throat. The other kids snickered at his current predicament. 

"Get her off of me!" Fred bellowed. 

Megan removed her foot and stepped back from her brother. 

He stood again, and this time, rather than a glower, shot Megan a look of begrudging approval and respect. Remaining a healthy distance away from his sister, he squinted at her and asked, "How did you do that?" 

Sarah, never changing the position in which she sat, said, "Okay, Megan. Let's go slow and you demonstrate." 

Megan nodded and again prepared to face her brother. 

"Now, everyone, watch closely. Megan steps in with her right foot and grabs Fred's shirt at the chest with her right hand and his right arm with her left hand." 

This Megan did. 

"Now, she spins around so her back is to Fred and yanks down on his shirt and arm. Using leverage, she pulls him forward until he starts to fall. She gives him another yank and he flips over her left shoulder." 

"Ooof!" Fred once again was staring at the ceiling. 

The kids, duly impressed by Megan's skills, were ready to start learning how to do flip each other, too. Sarah stood from her stool, paired the kids off and placed them around the room ready to begin. Soon the kids were being flipped and hitting the mat with "ooofs, awws and huuunhs." They took turns switching off being the flipper and the flippee and rotated around so that each sibling worked with all the others. 

Sarah and Megan were able to demonstrate two other skills before Sarah called an end to the session for lunch. They were all ravenous from their workout and enjoyed the grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup Lizzie and Sarah prepared. 

Not wanting to overwhelm them on the first day, and also knowing they would be sore tomorrow, Sarah gave the kids the afternoon off from any more self defense work. Predictably, they all ended up in the TV room, going online to play _Call of Duty: Black Ops_ where they were becoming one of the more feared teams in the gaming world. 

Sarah sat with the kids and took the opportunity to text Chuck, Casey, the agents in Denver with them and the agents in the van located outside the house. The agents in the van reported no suspicious activity, as did the agents along with Chuck and Casey. Sarah could hear the growl in her head as she read Casey's text expressing his disgust at the sheer number of nerds constantly surrounding him. A small smile formed when Chuck asked how the kids were and how he wished he was home with all of them. 

"Hey, Miss Sarah!" Martie called out as she sat on the couch between Fred and Lisa who were rapidly mashing their thumbs on their controller's buttons in pitched battle. "How's Uncle Chuck?" 

Surprised, Sarah asked, "How did you know I was texting Uncle Chuck?" 

"Because you always get this kind of soft look on your face whenever you're around him," she answered bluntly. 

Seven heads nodded as fourteen eyes remained glued to the TV screen. 

"And your eyes get bluer," Megan stated. 

Bridget smirked, "Megan, I think you're supposed to say, 'her eyes sparkle.' That's the way they always put it in stories." 

Lizzie chuckled as she smashed a button repeatedly. "Maybe they 'twinkle.'" 

Sarah scowled. "My eyes _do not_ sparkle nor do they _twinkle,_ " she muttered. 

Seven bemused faces continued to stare at the TV screen. "If you say so," Curtis replied. 

_They're just seeing things. Active imaginations._

She searched her brain for anything to get her out of there. After a moment she said, "I've got to, uh, clean up the kitchen. I'll be back in a few." 

"Yes, Miss Sarah," they all replied indulgently. She heard snickers as she left the room, but didn't see the pulled faces and eye rolling that accompanied them. They all fell out laughing when Lisa quietly said to her brothers and sisters, "Uncle Chuck has the same goofy face every time he's around her." 

Another round of laughter started when Lizzie, giggling, asked, "How clueless _are_ they?" 

The peals of laughter brought Sarah to a standstill halfway between the TV room and the kitchen. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor, she fled into the kitchen. 

~ O ~

Getting the kids to bed that evening didn't go as smoothly as when Chuck was there, but Sarah managed to do it having only to referee one conflict between Fred and Curtis. At the end of the clash, there was toothpaste smeared all over their bathroom, but Sarah considered it a minor victory since the whole thing was settled without any bloodshed or a trip to the emergency room. 

The second day of Chuck's absence went very much like the first. In the morning they worked on their martial arts/self defense skills and in the afternoon, they played GPS hide and seek using the app Chuck put on their phones with Sarah always working one-on-one with the "seeker." It wasn't too long before the "seeker" could track all six "hiders" all over the house and yard in just a few minutes. 

That evening they all watched _Tangled_ , again, since it was Martie and Megan's favorite movie. 

A jolt of anticipation shot through Sarah when her phone buzzed in her pocket. A smile broke across her face when she saw Chuck's smiling visage on the screen and read his text. They texted back and forth for a few minutes, she occasionally chuckling to herself. 

When the last text was sent, Sarah sighed happily and raised her head to find Lisa smirking at her. "What?" she asked, warily. 

"What was that, Martie? Number eight?" Lisa asked her sister. 

"Nine," Martie replied, not taking her eyes off the screen. "That we've be around for." 

"That's funny," Curtis remarked. "I don't remember Uncle Chuck being that fond of texting before." 

Barely suppressed grins appeared on seven faces. "Quiet down and watch the movie," Sarah scolded weakly. 

"Yes, Miss Sarah," they chanted together. 

After the two youngest went to bed, the older kids and Sarah stayed up and watched _Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire_ which was a compromise since the boys wanted to watch _Transformers_ and the girls wanted to watch The Princess Diaries. They turned the movie off about the time Harry figured out how to open the egg in the prefects' bathroom as they were all falling asleep. 

~ O ~

The next morning everyone was giddy with excitement as Chuck would be returning that afternoon. The morning was filled with more martial arts, but Sarah had a surprise for the kids after lunch. She told her charges to meet her on the backyard lawn at one o'clock and to be sure to wear old, grubby clothes. 

Peering out a window at the designated time, she saw the kids milling around on the grass, chatting excitedly. She walked out the door and skipped down the stairs, wearing a pair of shorts and one of Chuck's old white t-shirts with "Stanford" in red lettering across the chest. In her hands she spun a football. 

Until her need to think of things to do with the kids, Sarah didn't really remember how much she enjoyed playing football. Now, she recalled that one of her favorite activities when she was at Harvard was playing intermural co-ed football. The camaraderie of being on a team, the physical and mental support of her teammates, the ideals of sportsmanship; it all appealed to her. These were things she had given up when she had joined the murky, shifting world of the CIA. 

Shaking herself out of her reverie, she called out to the kids with a smile, "Are you ready for some football?" 

A loud cheer rose. 

"Yeah! We've played football with Uncle Chuck before. We play four on four," Curtis said. 

"Great. So I don't have to teach you the rules or anything?" Sarah asked. 

"Nope," Fred replied. "The only thing that might be important is that Megan and Martie always hike the ball to the quarterback. They're always on opposite teams. Curtis and I are always on opposite teams, too." 

Sarah nodded. "That makes sense. Megan, Lisa, Curtis and I will be on one team. Lizzie, Fred, Bridget and Martie will be on the other team. We can mix up the teams as we play, too, if you want." 

"Who gets the ball first?" Bridget called excitedly. 

Sarah pulled a quarter from her pocket. "Bridget, you call it." She set the coin on her thumb and flicked it into the air. 

"Heads!" Bridget shouted. 

The coin fell to the ground. Eight heads bent over it, staring at it as it lay in the grass. Sarah's team cheered and Lizzie's team groaned when the coin showed tails. 

"We get the ball first!" Curtis shouted. 

"Huddle up!" Sarah called. Her team clustered around her. A few feet away, Lizzie and Fred called their team together and whispered instructions. 

In their huddle, Lisa smirked at Sarah, "Hey, Miss Sarah. Nice t-shirt." 

Sarah looked down at the shirt and said, "This old thing? I found it in my room. Julie must have left it there by accident." Laughing, she added, "Besides, Steve and Dan just cut the grass yesterday. I'm not going to get grass stains on my own clothes!" 

The kids around her laughed. Settling them down, she said, "Megan, you hike the ball to me. Lisa you go short on the left and Curtis, you go long on the right. I'll throw it to whoever is open." Eyes shone and heads nodded. 

"On the third 'hut.' Ready, break!" they shouted and went to line up opposite of Lizzie, Fred, Bridget and Martie. 

Much to Sarah's surprise, Fred, lined up opposite Megan, who stood over the ball, staring up at him. Grinning, she asked sweetly, "You ready to end up on your back again, big brother?" 

"Bring it on, little one!" he taunted back. 

Sarah stood behind Megan and put her hands down behind the little girl, ready to receive the ball. "Set!" Sarah called. "Hut, hut, HUT!" The ball shot between Megan's legs and into Sarah's hands. She stepped back and looked to throw to Curtis since the shorter Bridget was going to cover him. 

Sarah never got a chance to throw the ball to anyone. As soon as she hiked it, Fred grabbed Megan, threw her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and ran around the yard yelling like a banshee. Megan alternated between high pitched squeals of laughter and hollering at Fred to put her down. As he ran around the yard, she pounded his back with her little fists and kicked her feet in the air. Her upside down head bobbed as he ran around in circles, shouting that he was to be feared now that he had captured the tiny ninja warrior. 

Of course the football play was over since Curtis and Lisa lay on the grass laughing and Bridget, Martie and Lizzie were doubled over, hardly able to breathe between their hooting. 

"Help, someone save me!" Megan shrieked with laughter. Football was forgotten for the moment as the rest of the kids gathered themselves and chased Fred and Megan around the yard, trying to rescue their youngest sister. 

Out of breath from being pursued, Fred finally tired and set Megan down on her feet. She immediately placed her hands on her hips and gave him a terrible glare. He laughed when the scowl was mitigated by the amusement in her eyes. 

During the whole episode, Sarah stood back and watched the interaction between the kids. Her heart swelled with joy at the way the children played with and loved each other. She was proud of Chuck for the home he had given these extraordinary kids. Before, she had looked at what he had done for them as a sacrifice. " _It was never a sacrifice,_ " he had told her. Now she understood. What he had given up to take them in paled in comparison to what they brought to his life now. He was as lucky to have them as they were to have him. 

Seven kids, panting from exertion and laughter wandered back to where she stood. She grinned at them and shook her head. "I don't think that was football." 

Fred grinned at her, "I'll play for real this time, I promise." 

Sarah shot him a dubious look. "Uh huh." His grin didn't convince her, but did it really matter? "Okay teams. Huddle up. Let's try again." 

The teams huddled and then approached the ball once more. They were about to start the play when sprinkler heads popped up all over the yard and started spraying them with water like a spring shower. 

Stunned, at first they all just stood there, unsure exactly what was happening. 

"Sprinkers!" Lisa shouted. 

As they turned to run toward the stairs, they saw three people step out of the house and onto the balcony. 

"Hey, Uncle Chuck's back!" Bridget shouted, pointing toward the three figures. 

A grin broke out on Sarah's face when she saw Chuck. Her smile faltered, however, when she didn't recognize the other two people with him. 

The kids waved at their uncle and took off running for the stairs through the sprinklers, which ended up soaking them from head to toe. The kids bounded up the stairs, laughing and shouting. They went straight for Chuck and gave him wet hugs which he enthusiastically returned. 

Sarah climbed the stairs slowly, her agent senses taking over. She did a quick assessment of the two people that stood with Chuck. One was a woman with long brown hair, straight bangs and dark rimmed glasses. She was about the same age as Chuck and significantly shorter than him. She wore a silk blouse, white dress slacks and an Hermes scarf. She was clearly shocked and slightly panicked by the antics of the children. 

The other person was a dark-haired man sporting a full beard and wearing jeans and a plaid shirt. Even shorter than the woman, he seemed to be much more at ease and grinned as he watched the kids hug Chuck. Her eyebrow quirked when she heard the kids shout, "Uncle Morgan!" and surround him in the same way they had done to Chuck a moment before. 

She reached the top of the stairs just as the kids moved away from the bearded man and stood back around her, smiling and laughing. 

Sarah's brow furrowed when she heard Chuck make a funny, gurgling noise and saw the strange, dumbstruck look on his face when he looked at her - well her shirt, anyway. She glanced down and swiftly realized that her t-shirt was soaking wet and clung to her with her pink skin showing through the wet material. Like a second layer of skin, it showed off her every curve and informed all around her that today, she wore a red bra. Inwardly, she was secretly thrilled at his reaction. _Let's see how long it lasts…_

Eventually, he pointed at her chest and mumbled, "Is that mine?" 

An eyebrow shot up. 

He blushed, realizing what he just said. "The shirt, I mean." 

"Mm-hmm. I hope you don't mind." 

"Um, nope." The giggling from the children pulled him from his stupor and he dragged his eyes up meet hers. He gathered his thoughts enough to say, "Kids, Sarah, I'd like to introduce you to Jill Roberts. Jill, these are my kids." As he named each one, in turn they smiled and waved at her. She gave each a wary smile in return. 

Sarah watched Jill closely. Jill was clearly not comfortable around the kids, but to be fair, she wasn't either when she first arrived at the house. 

"And Sarah is the kids' nanny," Chuck said, smiling at Sarah. 

Sarah, who had felt her insides lurch at Jill's name, took a second to compose herself. So this was the mysterious Jill Roberts. She held out her hand and said with a smile, "It's so nice to meet you." 

Jill looked Sarah up and down, put off by the wet, dripping hair and grimy outstretched hand. "It's nice to meet you, too," she said, shaking Sarah's hand limply. 

"And, Sarah, this is Morgan Grimes. Morgan, Sarah Walker." Chuck winked at the kids, "I don't need to introduce Morgan to you guys. You already know him." 

The kids giggled and nodded. 

Morgan's reaction to Sarah was nearly identical to Chuck's. 

"Duuuuude," Morgan said slowly, his eyes bugging out and glued to her chest. "She's your nanny?" 

"Down Morgan," Chuck warned him. He smiled and shrugged at Sarah who winked and smiled back at him. 

Addressing the children, Chuck instructed, "Okay, kids. Run upstairs and change out of those wet clothes." The kids tumbled into the house and went up the stairs to their rooms. 

Sarah did not move. Turning to Jill she asked, "So, what brings you to Colorado?" 

"Well, I happened to run into Chuck at the software conference in Denver. Isn't that a delicious coincidence?" she purred, grabbing at Chuck's arm and hugging it close to her chest. 

Sarah eyes narrowed as she watched Chuck's reaction to that bit of overt flirting on Jill's part. His smile seemed genuine, but his eyes were somewhat guarded. 

Sarah turned to Morgan. Offering her hand, she said, "And Morgan, it's nice to meet you, too." 

"The pleasure is all mine, I assure you," Morgan said, shaking her hand slowly, still stunned by her. 

"I heard the kids call you 'Uncle Morgan.' Are you related?" 

"No," Chuck answered for him. "Morgan and I have known each other forever and he's been around the kids their whole lives. He's my best friend, right buddy?" Chuck enthused, looking fondly at Morgan. It was clear that he was thrilled to see his friend again. 

Morgan's answering smile was huge, proud to be called Chuck's best friend. 

Sarah glanced back at Chuck and said, "Chuck, you didn't tell me you would be bringing company home with you." There was edge in her voice. 

He swallowed hard. "Well," Chuck started nervously, "like Jill said, she just happened to be at the software conference and Morgan is the regional manager for the big box chain, Buy More. He lives in LA, but happened to be in Denver for a meeting and called me up. He's taking some vacation time to stay with us for a few weeks," he finished happily. 

It was then that Fred slipped out of the house carrying one of Sarah's sweatshirts in his hand. He stepped close and handed it to her, saying quietly, "I brought this out for you, Miss Sarah. I thought you might get cold still being wet and all." His eyes never wavered from hers. 

She took the sweatshirt from him. "That's sweet of you. Thank you, Fred," she said, touched by his actions. 

He looked down at his feet, mumbled a "you're welcome" and quickly retreated back into the house. 

Tossing the sweatshirt over her shoulder, she shared a smile with Chuck. Turning to Jill, she asked, "Will you be staying here as well?" 

"Oh yes. Chuck invited me to stay for a couple of weeks as well," she said, smiling and making eyes at Chuck. 

Sarah's eyebrows rose as did her blood pressure. _I'm trying to protect him from a Fulcrum mole and he's inviting people to stay at the house?_ She and Chuck were going to have a little talk later. 

"Hey Chuck, got something to eat? That free continental breakfast at the hotel didn't exactly fill this growing boy's stomach," Morgan asked, filling the silence. 

"Sure, buddy. Let's go get you fed and check on the kids," Chuck replied. He and Morgan walked back into the house together, laughing and talking like the best friends they were. 

Jill then turned to Sarah. "If you wouldn't mind bringing my bags upstairs for me and putting my things away, I'll be in the house with Chuck," Jill said. "Oh, and I would love a cup of tea. Be a dear and fetch that for me." 

Sarah straightened, her hooded eyes lowering to meet Jill's. 

"Sure, Jill," she said, attempting to be polite. "But I'm the nanny. You'll have to ask the cook for tea and Chuck doesn't really have a maid. I'm sure if you asked them the boys would be happy to bring your bags up to your room for you." 

"Fine," Jill replied. She gave Sarah a hard stare and said, "And you may call me Ms. Roberts. That's what the help always call me." 

Sarah stiffened and her eyes flashed. "And you can call me Miss Sarah. That's what _the children_ always call me." 

Jill gave Sarah the once over again. She stopped at Sarah's chest noticing the word "Stanford" on her shirt. "So Chuck still has some of his old college t-shirts. I'm sure he's kept them to remind him of the wonderful times of when he and I went there together," Jill smirked. "We dated, you know, and he absolutely adored me." She paused for a moment and then asked, "You didn't go to Stanford, too, did you?" 

Sarah smiled and answered pleasantly, "Oh, no, I didn't go to college there. Like Chuck _noticed_ before, this is one of his t-shirts. I'm borrowing it." _Yeah, he noticed all right._

Jill faltered for a moment and then said, "Well, I wouldn't think you went there, being a nanny and all. Besides, had you gone there, I would have remembered you with your bleached blonde hair." 

_My hair color is natural, you cow, unlike that chest of yours._

It was a good thing she didn't have any weapons on her at that moment or there would have been a lot of explaining to do. Sarah fired back in a sugary voice, "Well, since you're obviously older than me, we wouldn't have been there at the same time anyway," and flashed a brilliant smile. She saw Jill wince and frown. _Direct hit._

"Did you even go to college?" Jill asked bluntly. 

Sarah's eyes widened and looked at Jill innocently. "Oh, yes, I went to college." 

"I'm sure you received a wonderful education at the local community college," she replied. "Did you major in babysitting?" 

"You know, there's nothing wrong with being a nanny. It's a noble profession." She paused and then added, "And actually, I went to Harvard." 

"Harvard?" Jill scoffed. "You went to Harvard and you're a nanny?" 

"Double majored in international relations and languages," Sarah confirmed. "Chuck wants the best for the children. Expose them to a broader view of the world and foreign languages." _Sorry kids, it looks like you'll be getting an hour of French lessons every morning."_ And I'm planning a two month trip to Europe for the family next summer." 

Jill's face fell. Score. "Now if you will excuse me, Ms. Roberts, I have to go attend to the children." She left Jill standing alone on the balcony, her face metaphorically bloodied. 

~ O ~

Sarah had to practically peel Jill off Chuck and drag him into his office. She closed the door as gently as her anger would allow and locked it. She took a deep breath before she turned around and faced him. "Chuck, I'm here to protect you from a Fulcrum mole and suddenly we have two people staying in the house, both of which, I might add, you have never mentioned to me," she said, her irritation seeping through. "I've never even heard of this Morgan guy and suddenly he's staying here?" She prowled around his office like a tigress ready to pounce. "How am I supposed to keep you safe if I don't know anything about these people?" 

"Sarah, these people are my friends. I didn't mention them to you before because neither of them even live around here. Morgan lives in LA and I only see him a few times a year. And Jill just moved back from Europe and lives in New York. This is the first time I've seen her in years." 

"And she just happened to be at the software conference you were at," Sarah snorted. "I find that a very difficult coincidence to believe." 

A flash of uncertainty crossed Chuck's face. 

"She's not even a software developer, is she?" she questioned, her eyes narrowing at him. 

He shook his head. "No, she's a biomedical engineer." 

She scowled. 

"Neither one of them would ever hurt me," he said defensively. "Besides, I didn't plan any of this," his voice rising as he spoke. "It just kind of happened. What was I supposed to do? Jill can be…forceful and wouldn't take no for an answer. And Morgan argued that if Jill could come, so could he." 

"Tell them you can't have them stay here, Chuck," she growled. "What about Casey? Why didn't he put a stop to this?" 

"Believe me, he tried. When they asked who he was and why he was with me, he answered that he worked for me as my personal assistant and tried to use the 'your schedule, sir, won't allow it' line." He waited a beat and added, "It didn't work." 

She sniggered. "So now Casey's your personal assistant? I bet he loves his new job." She stopped and thought that over for a moment. "Actually, that's great for us. It makes sense if Casey is at the house more now. I'll probably need his help." A question suddenly hit her. "Where is he anyway?" 

"He went back to his condo to 'wash the stench of nerd' off of him," Chuck replied, rolling his eyes. 

She started to giggle, but when she saw the frown on his face, became serious once again. "Okay, but if they stay you still need to work on Project Sun Ray. What are they going to do while you're in your office? My job is to protect you and the kids. I can't be entertaining them!" She stalked around the room, growing more and more agitated. 

"Morgan will play video games and Jill will, I don't know, go shopping or something," he answered his voice rising again in frustration. He stood straight and looked her in the eye. "They're my friends and I want them to stay," he said boldly. 

She stared at him. "She used to be your girlfriend," she said quietly. 

His eyes grew wide. "How did you know that she and I used to date?" 

"Really, Chuck?" she rolled her eyes. She pointed to herself, "Spy. Remember?" With a smirk she added, "And she couldn't wait to tell me about you two when she and I were alone on the balcony." 

He dragged both hands over his face. When he pulled them away, she expected to see anger in his eyes. Instead, she saw hurt. "I've done everything you've asked of me, Sarah. I've been a virtual prisoner in my own home. I hardly see the kids anymore and I had Rambo for a roommate for the last three days." Facing her, his voice grew stronger. "I think you owe me this, Sarah. You and the Agency owe me this." The twinkle that was usually in his eyes was gone. They were hard and his face was unflinching. She had never seen his body so tense, like a coiled spring. 

She wanted to argue, knew that she should because it was a bad idea all around, but he was right on all counts. He had done everything they had asked of him and never complained once. 

Stepping closer to him, she gave in. "Okay, Chuck," she said quietly. "They can stay." 

The tension seemed to rush out of the room. His body relaxed and he smiled slowly. "Really?" 

Cocking her head, she smiled slyly at him. "Yes, really." She reached out and patted his chest. "But I have some rules." 

"Of course," he chuckled. "Always rules." 

She made a face. "Be nice to me, Chuck, or I'll pull the plug on this whole thing." 

He grimaced and nodded repentantly. 

"Rule one: You never go out with either of them without Casey or me going along. At least until I'm sure they're not a threat to you." 

"Sarah, neither of them-" 

She gently placed her fingers on his lips to stop his protest. His eyes grew wide but his talking stopped. 

_Wow, his lips are really soft._ "

Rule two: I can have them followed, bugged, tapped, wired and their privacy invaded anytime I see fit." 

He looked pained but nodded, her fingers remaining on his lips. 

Her eyes fell from his to where her fingers rested and then back. 

"Rule three: Neither of them is to ever set foot in this office, whether you are in here or not. This door is to be locked at all times." 

He rolled his eyes, still unable to speak since her hand had not moved. 

_My thumb is so close to his jaw… Just one little rub along…_

She kept the traitorous thumb at bay and said, "At all times, Chuck." 

He sighed against her fingers and nodded. 

She nodded in reply and reluctantly removed her hand. 

They stood silently staring at each other. Moving in and putting her lips close to his ear, she whispered, "Keep them busy for awhile, would you? I have some suitcases to search." 

All he could do was groan. 

~ O ~

Jill got Chuck, Morgan and Fred (whom she called "Frank") to haul her luggage upstairs and into the guestroom next to Chuck's room. Sarah watched with amusement as Jill's many bags were dragged up the stairs. The woman packed like she was going on a six month African safari, not a two week stay in Colorado. She kept her comments to herself, however, since Chuck seemed genuinely excited to have his old friends staying for awhile. 

Morgan apparently was the opposite of Jill when it came to packing. He had everything he needed in a medium sized gym bag. He carried it into the house and unceremoniously tossed it to the bottom of the basement stairs as he would be staying in the guestroom there. 

Afterwards, Chuck, Jill and Morgan sat in the living room, laughing together and sharing funny stories from their past. It looked like they were going to be there for some time, so Sarah decided to put rule two into action and nonchalantly climbed the stairs to the second floor. Glancing back over her shoulder to make sure no one was watching, she walked past the boys' room and slipped into Jill's. She knew she didn't have a lot of time, so she scanned the bags, trying to decide which one to open first. She sighed. With so many bags, she might never get through them. 

She decided to start with the biggest suitcase and work her way down in size. It stood right next the closet, which Sarah noticed was opened slightly. She walked over to the bag, tipped it on its side, knelt down and unzipped it. 

"You can come out now, Megan," Sarah said quietly to the closet door as she flipped the suitcase open. 

"There's nobody in here," a small voice whispered. 

"Well, then, why is the closet talking?" 

Megan slowly stepped out of the closet with a guilty look on her face. 

"Megan, you shouldn't be snooping around in other people's rooms," Sarah said sternly. 

Megan's lower lip trembled. She looked like she was about to cry. "I'm sorry, Miss Sarah. Please don't be mad. But," she stepped closer to her, put her little hand on Sarah's shoulder, and whispered loudly, "I don't like that new lady. She doesn't seem very nice." 

_Good judge of character._

"Well, you still shouldn't snoop," Sarah said as she placed her hands down into Jill's suitcase and moved them around, searching for anything unusual. 

"But what about you? You're snooping." 

"It's my job to snoop, remember?" Sarah replied, stuffing her hand down inside one of the pockets of the bag. 

A grin broke out on Megan's face. 

Sarah stopped for a minute and leaned back on her heels. She squinted at Megan and asked, "Did you go through my stuff when I first came here?" 

The little girl's eyes grew the size of saucers and she shook her head vigorously. "Oh, no, Miss Sarah. You're… you're Spy Barbie. You would never do anything bad." 

_Would that it were true._

Sarah grabbed Megan's hand and kissed the back of it. "Okay, Junior Agent. You can help me." She thought Megan was going to hurt her face from smiling so wide. "I want you to be my lookout. Go over to the door and peek through the crack toward the stairs. If you see a grown up coming, go like this, 'Psssst!' and that will let me know we need to hide." 

Megan's eyes were huge and round. 

"Can you make that noise, Megan?" She could and did. 

Megan moved to her post and leaned her forehead against the crack in the door and positioned her eye so she could spy through it. Now that she had a lookout, Sarah's search through Jill's bags went quickly. She found that Jill liked expensive clothes, brought lots of shoes along and read trashy romance novels. Sarah found several stuffed in different bags and looked at the titles of some of them: _The Vicar's Lusty Daughter, Love's Burning Flame of Passion and Smoldering Eyes of Desire._ She let out a snort. _So much for her Stanford education._

"Everything okay over there, sweetie?" Sarah asked. 

"Yup," came Megan's reply. 

"Good, I'm almost done. I just have to go through her bathroom stuff and then we can get out of here." 

Sarah opened the bag and found more hair product than any one person needed, especially a person with long, stick straight brown hair. She grabbed the huge makeup bag from the bathroom bag, unzipped it and peered inside. Never had she seen so much makeup in one place before. 

She rummaged around in the bag and felt something different than the cylindrical lipstick tubes, eyebrow pencils, mascara containers and lip glosses. She pulled it out and looked at it. Her face contorted into a grimace and she stuck her tongue out as if she were about to vomit when she realized that the pink box contained Jill's diaphragm. Her disgust turned to anger and nostrils flared when it dawned on her what it meant. _Skank thinks she's going to get lucky. What does Chuck see in her?_ She angrily shoved the pink box back into the makeup case and grumbled under her breath. 

Hearing Sarah's grumbling, Megan turned and said, "Miss Sarah, are you okay?" 

"I'm okay. I just saw something I really didn't like." 

Megan returned to her vigil at the door. "What? Like a snake? You know how I don't like snakes, Miss Sarah." 

"Oh, I know," she chuckled. "No, it wasn't a snake, but I didn't like seeing it just the same." She zipped up the makeup bag, stuck in back in the larger bathroom bag. She put it back where she found it, stood and scanned the room. Satisfied it was just as it was when she entered, she told her lookout, "Well, Megan, I didn't find anything." 

"Aw!" replied Megan, disappointed. 

Sarah smiled at the little girl's reaction. I know how you feel. "Is the coast clear?" 

Megan opened the door just a bit wider and stuck her head through. She turned her head this way and that and then pulled it back in. "Coast is clear." 

"Okay, then, let's go. Don't run, just walk normal," Sarah instructed. They slipped out of the room together and Sarah closed the door quietly behind them. She took Megan's hand as they sauntered away from Jill's room. 

"We need to check Uncle Morgan's bag. I have an idea," Sarah said as she looked down at her co-conspirator. "If you put on your karate uniform, it will give us a good reason to go in the basement for awhile. Would you mind doing that?" 

"No, Miss Sarah," she cried, letting go of Sarah's hand and racing toward her room. 

While Megan changed her clothes, Sarah stepped into her bedroom and called Casey. 

"Casey, I need you to come up here tonight." 

"No," he answered immediately and emphatically. "Not if that woman is going to be there. She gives me a headache," he growled. 

"I feel your pain, Casey," she commiserated. "But I need you to come up here and bring a couple of bugs. I need to plant them in Jill's and Morgan's rooms." 

He groaned, "First you want me to sweep to get rid of bugs and now you want to plant them." 

"Life of a spy," she laughed. "And don't forget the receivers for my room. And make sure the agents in the van get the frequencies so they can record everything." 

"Of course." 

"One more thing," she said. 

"What, Walker? You know I can still smell that nerd stench around me!"" 

"Bring your appetite. Mrs. Smith is making lasagna." She could have sworn she heard him make a yummy grunt. 

"Roger that," he said, placated. 

She ended the call and exited her room just as Megan stepped out of hers. Hand-in-hand, they slowly descended the stairs, chatting happily as if they had just been in Megan's room playing Spy Barbie. Glancing at the living room, Chuck, Morgan and Jill still sat talking and laughing, although now Jill had her arm around Chuck shoulders. 

_She's about as subtle as a two-by-four to the head._

The three in the living room turned and watched as Megan and Sarah stepped off the bottom stair. Chuck's eyes shone with pride at his little ninja. Morgan looked at her and grinned. 

"Hey munchkin, when did you start doing martial arts?" Morgan asked. 

Megan smiled at all the attention. "Miss Sarah's been teaching me. She's real good at it." She looked up at Sarah and beamed. 

"Oh, I've learned some martial arts as well," Jill chimed in, not wanting to be left out. Endeavoring to make a connection with one of the kids, she said indulgently to Megan, "Maybe you can show me what you've learned sometime, Maggie." 

Chuck cleared his throat and said, "Er, Jill? Her name is Megan." 

"Right, sorry. Just so many names to remember," she said sheepishly. 

While Chuck was correcting Jill, both Sarah's and Megan's eyes grew wide and they slowly turned and looked at each other. One corner of Sarah's mouth quirked up and a devious smile took over Megan's face. Megan turned back toward Jill and said, "Oh, I'd like that very much, Ms. Roberts. My brother, Fred, loves to see what I can do." 

Jill seemed quite pleased with herself, thinking she had gained the confidence of the littlest one. 

Sarah and Megan went quickly down to the basement and Megan was once again lookout while Sarah searched through Morgan's bag. It only took a couple of minutes as all he had in it was some boxers, several plaid shirts, a pair of jeans, a stack of comic books, some toiletries, and a strip of packaged condoms. _If anyone ever needs a condom, he's the go-to guy._

"Okay, Megan. All done. I didn't find anything in Morgan's bag, either." 

Megan smiled. "I knew you wouldn't. He's Uncle Chuck's best friend and we like him." 

Sarah nodded, relieved that Morgan's bag was clean. He seemed like an okay guy and Chuck obviously thought of him as a brother. She reached out and adjusted the front of Megan's uniform. "While we're down here, we should work out." The idea of going upstairs at the moment was not a particularly pleasing one. "You want to learn what to do if someone grabs the back of your shirt?" 

Megan's eyes shone with glee. "Yes!" she cried, jumping up and down. 

~ O ~

Mrs. Smith was thrown into an absolute tizzy when she found out there would be three guests at dinner that evening. Thinking it best to simply stay out of Jill's way, Sarah decided to seek refuge in the kitchen and help with the dinner preparations. At first, Mrs. Smith was skeptical, but then decided she really could use the help, and so had Sarah prepare the green salad. As they worked together in the kitchen, Mrs. Smith griped about how Jill had already been pestering her, telling her what kinds of food she could and couldn't eat and how she liked her food prepared. Sarah's jaw dropped and she laughed out loud when Mrs. Smith said, "I told her what I told my own kids when they were little. 'You git what you git and you don't throw a fit.'" 

The cook placed several tomatoes on the cutting board in front of Sarah and hesitated before she handed her the kitchen knife. "Are you sure you don't want me to cut up the tomatoes for you?" 

Sarah cocked her head and smiled, taking the knife from Mrs. Smith's hand, "I'm pretty good with knives," she stated. 

Mrs. Smith crooked an eyebrow and shrugged, turning away from Sarah. She spun back around when she heard the knife hitting the cutting board at a rapid speed. One of the tomatoes had already been sliced up and the second was about to undergo the same treatment. 

"Where did you learn knife skills like that?" the woman asked in wonder. 

Sarah smiled a little, shrugged and answered evasively, "You know, around." 

"Well, I might just ask you to work with me in the kitchen more often," Mrs. Smith chuckled. She glanced around the room and put her hand on her forehead in sudden exasperation. "I forgot to get garlic bread. You can't have lasagna without garlic bread." Grabbing her keys and purse, she bustled out of the kitchen and called back to Sarah, "I've got to run down to the market. I'll be back in a little while." 

"Okay, I'll just…" she replied to no one. 

Satisfied with the pile of tomato chunks before her on the cutting board, Sarah scooped them up and dumped them on top of the lettuce in the largest salad bowl she had ever seen. She had just grabbed the salad tongs and was about to toss the salad when Chuck walked in. 

"Sarah! What are you doing in here?" He scanned the room and said, "Where's Mrs. Smith? I came to help out since it's my friends adding to the dinner numbers tonight." 

"She went to the store to get some garlic bread." 

"Oh." He moved next to her and said in a low voice, "Sarah, you're not the hired help. You didn't have to help her like this." 

"I volunteered to help out," she answered lightly. A smile crossed her face and she said, "She was impressed with my knife skills." 

He grinned at her and replied, "I'll bet she was." The hand that reached out to snatch a tomato chunk from the top of the salad was rebuffed with a playful slap. 

"Hands off the salad, Chuck," she warned. "This is for dinner." 

Trying a different tactic, he moved so that he stood directly behind her and reached around her with his other hand. She grabbed his wrist to stop the hand from moving closer to the bowl. Even though they were only touching at his wrist, she could feel how close he stood behind her. 

Her pulse raced. Trying to keep her voice light, she teasingly advised him, "Chuck, I know two hundred ways to subdue you from this position. Would you like to see me try one of them?" 

"Oh, you can try, Agent Walker," he whispered in her ear, "but I have a few moves of my own. Would you like to see me try one of them?" 

_Yes, Chuck! Yes I would!_ Smugly, she replied, "You can try, but I'm a highly trained-" 

Chuck's free hand grabbed at her waist, tickling her. 

"Aaaahhhh!" she yelped in surprise, backing into him and bending at her side as he continued to tickle her. Her shoulders slammed into his chest and her back into his abdomen. She still had a grip on one of his wrists and tried to grab the tickling fingers with her other hand. He moved his hand around quickly, making it difficult for her to stop him, although she really wasn't trying very hard to do so. 

"I'll get that tomato if it's the last thing I do!" he called out dramatically, wrapping his free arm around her waist and lifting her up. 

She was surprised at his strength as her feet left the ground. He laughed as he rotated them both a quarter turn, to face the sink. Laughing, she cried, "You're in for it now, buster." Instinctively, she put her free hand on top of the one which holding her at the waist. It was true that at this point in the tussle she could think of numerous ways for her to release herself from his grip and have him end up on the ground on his back, but all of those ideas were merely fleeting. This was much more fun. 

"Submit!" he cried, wiggling his fingers on the hand that held her, tickling her again and provoking another laughing squeal from her. 

_Okay!_ "Never!" she replied defiantly. 

The sound of a throat clearing at the doorway of the kitchen immediately stopped their "fight." They froze, Chuck's arm firmly wrapped around her waist, her hand on his other wrist, her back pressed against his front. Her feet still dangled above the floor. 

"Oh, dude, I'm so sorry," Morgan started. His eyes grew wide when he gazed at them. "I…um…I just came to get a bottle of water…" he stammered, turning his head away from them and making a beeline for the refrigerator. 

Chuck placed Sarah back on her feet and they simultaneously released and stepped away from each other. She quickly adjusted her shirt that was slightly askew and smoothed a hand over her hair. They talked over each other as they tried to explain to Morgan what had happened. The phrases, "protect the salad, tomato stealer and hungry kids" were all uttered and did nothing to lower Morgan's raised eyebrow. 

"Sure, whatever, dude," Morgan said, taking a sip of water from the bottle he had retrieved from the fridge. Without another word, he marched straight out the kitchen exit. 

They endured an uncomfortable silence for a moment, each staring at the floor. Sarah pointed to the salad and said, "Well, I'm going to finish the salad," while at the exact same time, Chuck said, "I'm going to go check on the kids," pointing at the doorway. She turned back toward the salad while Chuck hurried out the door. She stood, motionless, waiting for the sparks shooting through her to subside. Shaking her head to clear her mind, she reached for the tongs which she promptly dropped back on the counter. It was another minute before she was able to properly grip the utensil so that she could finally toss the salad. 

~ O ~

The dining room table was especially crowded that evening given that there were three extra chairs around it. Sarah and the children were the first to arrive and sat in their customary places, waiting for the rest of the adults to make their appearance. Sarah sat at the end of the table opposite Chuck's chair at the head of the table. Casey was the next to arrive and at Martie's insistence, sat next to her. He had become her hero the day he looked out for her at the Salzburg Essen Platz. Sarah could see that Casey was uncomfortable around so many children, but fortunately, they didn't pay too much attention to him, so he sat quietly with Martie staring up at him with adoring eyes. 

Jill walked in next and made a snide comment about "the help" eating with the family. The seven children frowned at the comment and looked to Sarah, who pursed her lips and almost imperceptibly shook her head. Jill also groused about Sarah sitting opposite Chuck, "where the lady of the house sits," but was soon placated when she realized she would be right next to Chuck, allowing her to monopolize him. Any further comments were squelched when Chuck and Morgan came in together. 

At first, Jill dominated the dinner conversation. She explained that when she found out she was a relative of an Austrian baroness, she simply had to go to Austria and find out more about this fascinating woman. 

_That must be why she acts like she's royalty,_ Sarah thought. 

Jill became extremely animated when she told how her great aunt, who just before the beginning of World War II, was engaged to a handsome and dashing officer of the Austrian navy. Her brow furrowed and she became agitated when she conveyed that her great aunt was heartbroken when he broke off their engagement and married "the help." 

At that part of the story, Fred leaned over to Lisa and whispered something in her ear. Lisa nodded and snickered. Sarah could only imagine what was said, but had a pretty good idea that it was to the effect that if the baroness was anything like Jill, he would have dumped her, too. 

Soon, it seemed that Jill had nothing much to talk about other than Austria and New York so Morgan and the kids grew bored. They started their own conversation about video games which amused Sarah greatly. When the kids found out that Uncle Morgan loved playing _Call of Duty_ too, the noise level of the room grew exponentially. Jill shot an annoyed look at Sarah, indicating that she was supposed to shut the kids up so Jill could regain dominance over the conversation. Sarah simply shrugged and smiled in response. Chuck was oblivious to the exchange between the two women as he had joined in on the _Call of Duty_ discussion. 

"Uncle Morgan," Curtis cried, "can we show you how well we play?" Curtis looked to Sarah, questioning if it was okay to leave the table. She dipped her head and looked over to Chuck, indicating Curtis needed to ask him. Curtis turned his head, as did Morgan and all the other children, and looked at Chuck expectantly. 

He waited a beat, then grinned and said, "Let's go play some video games!" 

Morgan and all seven kids jumped up from their chairs and headed toward the TV room. As they left the dining room, Morgan threw an arm over Fred's shoulders and quietly said to him, "So, tell me about this new nanny of yours…" 

With the children gone and not wanting to be stuck with Jill, Casey shot out of the room as well. Sarah followed quickly behind and as she left the dining room, overheard Jill pout, "Chuck, do we have to go watch them play silly video games? I was hoping you and I could go out by ourselves for awhile." 

Sarah smiled when she heard him answer, "Jill, I haven't seen my kids for three days. I'd like to spend some time with them. I hoped you would want to get to know them a little better, too." 

"Oh, of course I would," she replied, grabbing Chuck's arm again. "That was so selfish of me," she added, trying to sound repentant. 

Chuck smiled at her as they followed Sarah into the TV room. 

The room was crowded with so many people that Sarah stood at the doorway and leaned against the frame. Taking in the scene she saw that Chuck sat at one end of the couch with Megan, happy to have him home, firmly ensconced in his lap. Bridget sat next to him, holding tightly to his hand. The shared smiles between Chuck and two of his girls made Sarah's heart glad. 

Casey claimed one of the chairs with Martie perched on its arm. Her eyes were on the game, but she occasionally glanced over and smiled at him. 

At the opposite end of the couch from Chuck and next to Morgan sat Jill, her arms crossed, put out that she had lost Chuck's attention to his kids. 

Jill's body language was not lost on Lizzie whose eyes snapped in irritation at the woman's behavior. Lizzie, who sat on the floor in front of Chuck, caught Sarah's eyes and furrowed her brow while looking over at Jill and then back to Sarah. All Sarah could do was heave a sigh and shrug, which caused Lizzie's frown to deepen. 

"Wow, Uncle Morgan! You're great!" Fred shouted enthusiastically as he, Morgan, Lisa and Curtis played. 

"Uncle Morgan!" Martie shouted suddenly. "Ten o'clock!" 

Morgan pounded the buttons and killed the enemy at his ten o'clock. He looked over at her and said, "Martie, good eyes. You're a great spotter!" He gave her grin. "Thanks!" 

Casey, who had not even spoken to Martie yet that evening, said to her quietly, "That was pretty good, kid. Where'd you learn that?" 

Martie beamed at Casey's compliment. "I've been a spotter for them all along. Miss Sarah taught us about the clock face stuff." 

Casey's eyebrow rose and nodded his head in approval. "So in this game, you get to shoot the enemy?" His interest and enthusiasm was obviously growing. 

Martie nodded. "We have one team of four people and we go against other online teams." 

Morgan, his eyes still glued to the screen said, "Chuck, you can have a team of up to eight play against other teams of eight. You would just need to get another screen and system set up. You guys would be awesome as a team." 

"Well, I don't know if that necessary. Only five of the kids play and they just take turns. The two little ones are spotters," Chuck replied. 

Morgan paused the game and looked over at Chuck, his face full of shock. "Dude, you don't play?" 

Chuck looked uncomfortable when he answered, "No. I haven't played video games in a long time." 

"Why not?" Morgan asked. "You used to be the best." 

Chuck shrugged. "No time. I have other…responsibilities now and…" 

Lizzie turned to Chuck and said, "I remember when you used to play, Uncle Chuck. I was just little, but you lived with us and you would come home from school and play _Missile Command._ " 

All the children turned to look at him, surprised by this new information about their uncle. "You played _Missile Command? >/i> Play for us, please?" they all shouted. _

Embarrassed, he looked to Sarah, who still stood in the doorway, for help. She gave him a shy smile in response. All eyes were on her as she walked over to the Xbox, ejected the _Call of Duty_ disc and inserted _Missile Command._ Taking a controller from Fred, she held it out toward Chuck. 

He glanced around at the children's pleading faces. He gently sat Megan on the floor next to Lizzie, took the controller from Sarah's outstretched hand and switched places with Fred. He pushed the play button and started the game. Sarah moved back to the doorway. 

Jill was completely annoyed by all of this. "Why didn't you tell me?" she mumbled to Morgan, cutting her eyes toward him. 

"What?" he asked, confused. 

"To bring along my GameBoy," she said in a low voice. 

Morgan stared mutely at her, then shook his head and turned to watch Chuck play. 

The children sat enthralled as he played and racked up points. They all clapped and cheered for him when came to the kill screen, beating the game. He looked over his shoulder to Sarah and locked eyes with her. He gave her a sheepish shrug. Her eyes shone with pride when she smiled at him in return. 

Jill watched the exchange between the two of them, her squinting eyes darting back and forth. 

"Anytime you say the word, Chuck, and you can be part of my new _Call of Duty_ team, 'The Bartowski Family Gamers.'" 

"What are you talking about Morgan?" Chuck asked. 

"There's a big _Call of Duty: Black Ops_ tournament coming up in the fall, and I want the Buy More to sponsor you all as a team of eight. It would be great PR for the company. You guys are fantastic and would wipe out the competition." He grinned at the idea. 

"Wait a minute, there, buddy. I'm not sure I want the kids to be in a gaming tournament. They'll be in school soon and that takes top priority." 

All the children talked over each other, assuring him they could keep up with both. 

"And there are only five kids on the team right now," he reminded them. 

"Well, if you and Sarah played, that's seven," Morgan said. 

Casey cleared his throat. "Um, I could maybe learn to play." 

Sarah looked like she could have been knocked over with a feather. Reacting to the look on her face, he defended himself. "What? Shooting bad guys? Looks like fun." 

Martie beamed. 

"Um, one thing though, Morgan. You'd have to change the name of the team. The kids' last name is Woodcomb," Chuck reminded him. 

Lizzie spoke up, "Uncle Chuck… we'll always love and remember our dad. But… Mom was a Bartowski as well. And you're raising us." She glanced at the nodding heads of her siblings. "That means we're Bartowskis, too." 

He grinned with pride. 

"But I'm not a Bartowski!" Sarah protested. 

"Not yet, you aren't," Morgan muttered under his breath. 

Jill overheard him and shot him a fierce look. 

"Neither is Mr. Casey," Curtis argued, "and he wants to be on the team." 

"Chuck, it's just the name. There aren't any rules that you have to be all from one family," Morgan finished. 

"I'll think about it," Chuck finally said. 

The children were relieved that he didn't come out and say no, so they glanced around at each other and smiled. 

For the next couple of hours, they played _Call of Duty._ Chuck, Sarah and Casey alternated working with Morgan and the kids, learning the game and working the controllers. Chuck was instantly at ease with the controller, but like the children, needed to learn strategy. Sarah and Casey were the opposite. They were excellent strategists but needed practice with the controllers. It wasn't too long, however, before each felt comfortable with the game. 

At one point during the gaming evening, Sarah excused herself and went upstairs to her room where she found the bugs and receivers Casey had delivered. She snuck into Jill's room and hid a transmitter at the base of a lamp. Undetected, she slipped downstairs to the basement and hid a bug in Morgan's room as well. The bugs successfully deployed, she returned to the TV room where the only person who acknowledged her return was Megan, who gave her a smile. Sarah winked and put her index finger up to her lips, indicating Megan should stay silent. Megan nodded her understanding. 

A little later, Sarah looked at her watch and said, "Children, time to go to bed. Come and say 'Good night.'" 

They rose from their seats and each gave Chuck a hug good night. "Good night, Uncle Chuck." 

"Good night, Ms. Roberts," they said politely to Jill who smiled back at them. 

"Good night, Uncle Morgan," they said enthusiastically. He gave them each a high five as they followed Sarah out of the room and up the stairs, taking excitedly about the chance at playing in a gaming tournament. 

~ O ~

Sarah was pulled from a light sleep by a noise coming from one of the receivers on her nightstand. She was nervous about the two guests in the house and was "sleeping with one eye open." Turning over, she listened closely and recognized Megan's voice faintly coming through the speaker. 

"Whatcha doing, Ms. Roberts?" Megan asked as Jill left her room and was making her way toward Chuck's. Megan, the junior agent, had apparently decided she needed to carry out a nighttime watch outside Jill's door. 

Surprised by Megan, Jill answered, "I, um, was going to get a drink of water in the kitchen." 

"The stairs are the other way," Megan informed her. 

"Oh, oh right. I… must have gotten turned around," Jill stammered. 

Sarah snickered at the exchange as she jumped out of bed to intervene. She just started down the hall when Chuck threw his door open and saw the standoff between Jill and Megan. 

"What's going on out here?" he whispered loudly. He was clearly confused by what was happening. Sarah hustled over to Megan and held out her hand. "Come on, sweetie, you need to get back to bed." 

Megan complied and took Sarah hand. While they walked back toward their rooms, Megan looked over her shoulder and shot Jill a death glare. 

Sarah got Megan back to bed, kissed her forehead and said, "Go back to sleep, little one." _Good job, my junior agent._ Megan smiled and nodded as Sarah handed her Spy Barbie. Sarah tiptoed out of the room and quickly slipped back in her bed to listen to Chuck and Jill's animated whispering in the hall. She was pleased that the whole conversation was picked up clearly by the bug. _Quality work again, Casey._

"Jill, what the hell are you doing out here?" he hissed. 

"Oh, Chuck, I just wanted to…well…it's been a long time and I wanted to visit you in your room," she pouted, "and show you how happy I am to see you again." 

"Urg." Sarah gagged and grimaced when she felt the rising bile in her throat. 

She could hear the incredulity in Chuck's voice as he whispered, "Just like that? After all these years? And with my seven kids in the house? Jill, that is really inappropriate." There was a pause and then he said, "Please go back to your room, Jill." 

Sarah heard Chuck's door close and then Jill's. She closed her eyes and smiled as she caught Jill mumble the words "nanny," "blonde," and "skank." 

The rest of the night, Sarah had pleasant dreams.


	9. Chapter 9

It was a crisp, cloudless morning. The strength of the sun was weakening ever so slightly as summer began to give way to fall. The leaves of the aspen trees had begun their annual transformation from green to gold. Soon, the mountains would be a patchwork quilt of yellow aspens and green pine. 

Chuck and Sarah sat out on the balcony together, enjoying their morning coffee, each wearing their customary sweatshirts, scruff and bed head. 

"I missed this when you were gone," she confessed before she could stop herself. 

She saw that he tried to hide his smile behind his raised coffee mug, but also saw the telltale crinkles around his eyes. 

"So, fill me in on what happened while I was away," Chuck said. "What's Megan call it? A 'sitrep?'" 

She gave a short laugh and stretched her arms and legs straight out in front of her, like a cat waking from a nap. 

"Well, all the kids now know some martial arts skills." 

He looked at her with surprise. 

"They need to have some basic skills for when they go to school, Chuck. I can't be with them all day." 

"You said you had the security all lined up," he reminded her. 

"I do, but I just feel better knowing they have a few skills." She grinned and leaned toward him, murmuring conspiratorially, "Megan flipped Fred. Twice." 

She smiled at his reaction which was a mixture of shock and amusement. "My little ninja," he said proudly. "Although I think we'll need to have a long talk with her before she starts kindergarten. I don't want her flipping any of her classmates," he took a sip of coffee and then added, "or her teacher for that matter." 

She winced at the images in her head and then chuckled. "Not a bad idea." 

"So what else did you do?" 

Her brow furrowed as she thought back over the days and brightened. "We played hide-and-seek using the GPS part of that app you put on their phones. They can always find each other pretty quickly now." She shrugged. "You never know when it might come in handy." 

He nodded. They sat together for a moment, sipping their coffee and enjoying the companionable silence. 

"How about you, Chuck? How was your conference?" 

He made a face and shrugged. "Boring. Lots of talk about computer languages and applications that only other computer nerds care about." He sighed and looked out at the mountains. He had a faraway look on his face when he said, "When I left, I was really excited about being out on my own, well with Casey along, for a few days, with no cares and no responsibilities." He snorted. "I thought it would be fun." He looked into his mug and said, "But the truth is, I was there for about two hours and all I could think about was being back here with the kids…" he turned and looked into her eyes, "and you." 

_Oh._ She swallowed hard and her heart pounded in her ears. _I couldn't wait for you to come home._ The honesty and vulnerability of his confession turned off all of her agent filters. Her pulsed raced as she looked down at her feet and then back into his face. Her mouth was dry when she said, "Chuck, I couldn't-" 

The door to the balcony flew open and Jill walked out. She was already dressed with makeup applied. "So this is where you've gotten to, Chuck." She squinted at Sarah and then looked back at him. "I wish I had been invited to this little coffee klatch." 

The tenuous, magical thread that had connected them was instantly broken. Sarah sat back in her chair, clutching her mug, willing her heart rate to return to normal. _That was close, Agent. Watch it._ Her knees nervously bounced, the balls of her feet never leaving the wood of the balcony. Taking a deep breath, she stood. "Jill," she cleared her throat and corrected herself, "Ms. Roberts, you can have my seat." 

"Sarah, you don't need to go," Chuck said, his eyes pleading with her to stay. 

"The kids will be up soon and I need to get ready." She gave him a wistful smile and a little wave with her fingers as she opened the door and stepped into the house. 

~ O ~

The fight raged between the two teams. After lunch, everyone gathered in the TV room, watching Chuck, Sarah, Fred and Curtis take on another Call on Duty team online. The battle to capture the flag was particularly fierce and each player had to play his or her part perfectly so as not to lose to the other team. The room was loud and raucous as everyone shouted warnings. 

"Curtis, watch out!" Lisa called. "Four o'clock!" 

Curtis waved his controller around as his avatar spun around and shot at the enemy. "Thanks, sis!" he shouted. 

"Fred, are you covering Curtis?" Sarah shouted. 

"Yeah, I got him," Fred replied, tossing a grenade. "You got Uncle Chuck?" he asked. 

"Yeah, got his six." 

Chuck's team was closing in on the flag and Sarah was in a position to make the final move and capture it. 

"Sarah! Go for it!" Chuck yelled. "Get the flag!" 

"No, Chuck, I'm covering you!" she responded. "I won't leave you exposed." 

"Uncle Chuck! Get the flag!" Bridget shouted. 

Encouraged by the whole room, Chuck spun his avatar around, sprinted to the flag and captured it, winning the game. A cheer went up as the battle was won. 

Huge grins and high fives were shared all around the room. 

"Hey Sarah, you know you could've gotten all this glory," Chuck teased her. 

She wouldn't take the bait. "Yeah, well, I had to protect you. It's what I do." 

He laughed. "Come on, Sarah. It's just a game." 

"I don't care," she said emphatically. "I'm never going to leave you… unprotected. I'm never going to leave you unprotected, Chuck." 

He was silent for a moment, staring at her. He tore his gaze away and clearing his throat, said, "So, Morgan," glancing at his friend sitting across the room, "how hard would it be for you to set us up with another system so we can play as a team of eight?" 

Silence fell. The children held their breaths and were afraid to move. Had they just heard him right? 

Morgan grinned and then schooled his features. "Well, Chuck, as a regional manager of the Buy More," he answered in his best business voice, "I don't think it would be difficult at all. If I pull some strings," he made a serious face and stroked his beard, "I think I can get you a pretty good deal on that." 

Sarah tried to suppress a grin as she watched Chuck and Morgan tease the kids. Her eyes darted back and forth between the two best friends. She had to admit that having Morgan around was fun and in a lot of ways, made her job easier. He was just one of the kids and had kept them busy for most of the morning. They had a short time before school started again, and she was glad Morgan could be a part of the fun before the routine began. 

Chuck looked over to Sarah and wiggled his eyebrows at her. 

_Oh my god, what did he just do? That was adorable._ She nearly giggled like a school girl. 

"What do you think, Miss Sarah? Do you think the kids would like another system?" 

Her eyes danced as she looked back at him. 

She waited for a moment, drawing out the suspense. "Well," she started slowly, "I don't know if the kids want one." She shrugged. "I mean, would it be that much more fun for all of us to play together?" 

Seven pairs of pleading eyes looked at her. 

"Honestly, Chuck," she waited another beat during which no child dared to breath, "I think it's a great idea." 

A loud cheer went up and each kid hugged the closest adult to them, excluded Jill, who had sat in annoyed silence during the deliberations since she was not included. 

When the cheering and excitement died down, she complained, "What am I supposed to do while you play video games all the time?" 

Everyone in the room looked around at each other. 

_You can jump on your broomstick and fly back to New York._ Sarah's lips twitched. 

Jill pouted for a moment and then brightened. She turned to Chuck and said, "You will throw me a grand and glorious party. I want to meet all of your friends here in Colorado and I want them to meet me." 

Sarah immediately frowned and shook her head slightly at him. Casey scowled at the idea. 

Chuck began, "I don't think that's a very good idea, Jill. I don't really have that many friends, not enough to have a big party, anyway. I've also got a lot of work to do and…" 

"Oh, don't worry, Chuck. I'll plan the whole thing," she gushed. "It will give me something to do while I'm here. And it's okay if you don't have lots of friends to invite because I have loads of friends who live in Vail and Aspen. I want them to come here and see your fabulous house." 

Chuck tried again, "Jill, I don't think Sarah and John think it's a good idea either." 

Jill snapped her head to look over at them. "So, do they run your life? Do you have to do everything they say?" She stared them down. Both were forced to hold their tongues as neither of them could argue with her without blowing their covers. 

"I'll take care of everything and I won't take 'no' for an answer," she announced as she stood up, daring anyone to speak up against her idea. "The party will be two weeks from tomorrow on a wonderful Saturday evening." She looked down her nose at Sarah triumphantly, then turned and walked out of the room, mumbling, "First, I have to get the caterer called. I think there's a good one in Aspen…" 

Chuck looked over to Morgan and said, "Buddy, I need to talk to Sarah and Casey privately for a few minutes. Could you take the kids into the kitchen and get them some ice cream?" 

Morgan didn't have to be asked twice as he was the first out the door racing toward the kitchen, the rest of the kids trying to keep up with him. 

"I'm sorry, guys. You know how Jill is," Chuck sincerely apologizing for Jill's bulldozer tactics. "What are we going to do? I know this is going to wreak havoc with you trying to keep us safe." 

"I've got a tranquilizer gun, some duct tape and a really big box," Casey growled. "I say we FedEx her back to New York." 

Sarah smiled at Casey's suggestion, it sounding like a very pleasant option. However, she surprised them both by saying, "No, we should have the party." 

They both looked at her like she was crazy. "Are you nuts, Walker?" Casey asked. 

"Think about it," she prompted. "We know the Fulcrum mole is someone Chuck knows. This might be the perfect opportunity to flush him or her out into the open. If they think they can break into Chuck's office during the party, then we can watch it and nab them." 

Casey's eyebrows shot up, catching on to her strategy. "Right. And the mole wouldn't be anyone Jill invites since Chuck doesn't know any of those people." 

Chuck paled slightly. "Wouldn't that be dangerous? What about the kids?" 

"It'll be no more dangerous than it's been all along, Chuck," Sarah answered. "This way we can be prepared and have lots of security in place. I'll be with the kids the whole time and Casey can stick close to you as your personal assistant." 

Casey nodded, warming to Sarah's plan. "Walker's right. This party could work to our advantage." 

"Or someday they'll call it 'The Terrible Massacre at Beaver Creek,'" Chuck mumbled. 

"Oh, grow a pair, Bartowski," Casey growled. "I don't want to be stuck here forever and if this gives us a chance to catch the mole and get me out of here, then so be it." With that, he stood up and stalked out of the room. 

Chuck turned and faced Sarah with hurt in his eyes, "Is that why you want to have this party, Sarah, so you can get out of here? I thought you liked it here." 

"No, Chuck," she answered quickly. "I mean, yes," she babbled, confounded by the look on his face. She closed her eyes in frustration and took a breath. With her eyes still closed, she said, "No, Chuck, I don't want to do this so I can 'get out of here.' I want to do this so we can remove the threat to you and the kids. I want all of you safe and the mole…taken care of." She opened her eyes and gazed at him, "And yes, I do like it here." 

He held her eyes with his for a moment and then looked down at his hands. He rubbed his left thumb into his right palm nervously, as if he was trying to remove some dirt from it. A small smile crossed his face and he said, "I thought you did. I like having you here, too, Sarah. I really care about you." He stopped rubbing his thumb, looked into her incredibly blue eyes and said softly, "I care about you a lot." 

Her breath caught. "I care about you, too, Chuck," she replied and then deflected quickly, "exactly like I care about the children, of course." Her stomach dropped when she saw his face fall, not giving him the answer he wanted to hear. _I'm an agent for the CIA and sworn to protect you and your family. I can't give you the answer you want._

She stood quickly, realizing they had wandered into dangerous territory. "I've, ah, got to check in with Casey and talk about security logistics for the party." She stopped at the doorway and looked over her shoulder at him. He sat alone, staring silently at the floor. 

~ O ~

It was mid afternoon and Chuck was alone, working in his office. Sarah and Casey were on the phone with Graham and Beckman, trying to convince them that the party would work in flushing out the mole. Jill was on her phone, making numerous calls, already planning for the party. And Morgan was on a solo mission of _Call of Duty_ since all of the kids were upstairs in Lizzie's room, having a closed door meeting. 

"So, you all see it, too?" Lizzie asked her scowling brothers and sisters, pacing back and forth in front of them. Fred sat in Lizzie's desk chair, Curtis sat on the floor next to Lisa with their backs against the side of the bed, and the youngest three girls sat on top of it. All heads were nodding in agreement. 

Bridget spoke up. "She's obviously trying to take Uncle Chuck away from Miss Sarah." 

Megan's face was fiercest of all. "And we don't want that," she grunted, angrily crossing her arms across her chest. 

All the siblings agreed with their youngest sister that none of them wanted that. 

"I've overheard her talking about how she's almost royalty 'cause she's related to some old lady who was a baroness and how she likes how much money Uncle Chuck has," Lisa said, her voice filled with disgust. 

"And now she's planning this stupid party," Fred groaned. 

Lizzie nodded. 

(Sung to the tune of "So Long, Farewell") 

Lizzie:  
I've a bad kind of feeling 'bout that chick that's named Jill. 

Fred:  
You know, I feel the same way, too. 

Lisa:  
I wish there was something we could do that would cause  
Chuck say to her, "You know, screw you." 

All:  
(Screw you. Screw you.) 

Lizzie:  
Regretfully she's staying (screw you)  
That's what we're really hating (screw you)  
So what are we (screw you) to do? 

All:  
She's got to go  
Is what we'd like to hear. 

Martie:  
I really want to kick her in the rear. 

All:  
She's got to go  
She's such a royal pain. 

Fred:  
She's also spoiled and really very vain. 

All:  
She's got to go  
We hate her condescension. 

Lizzie:  
I hate that Chuck gives her any attention. 

All:  
She's got to go  
She makes us want to cry. 

Curtis:  
She makes me want to heave my stomach dry. 

Bridget:  
She needs to go, I cannot tell a lie. 

Lisa:  
I'll flick. I'll poke. I'll jab her in the eye. 

Megan:  
The thing I want to hear from her is "Bye." 

All:  
So long, farewell  
Auf wiedersehen, good-bye  
She needs  
To go  
Good-bye.  
Good-bye. 

"So, we're all agreed. We need to get her out of here," Lizzie said, looking at the faces of her brothers and sisters. "What can we do about it?" 

Seven brains worked, trying to think of something to drive Jill out of their house and back to New York. A scheming look took over Lisa's face. "Guys, I have an idea…" 

~ O ~

Each kid was in his or her own bedroom, peeking through cracks left by mostly closed doors, silently watching and waiting. Small gasps escaped when Jill, finally, climbed the stairs and at the top turned toward her room. The boys pulled back from their door as she walked by and then returned to their previous position as soon as she was past. She was humming softly to herself when she turned the doorknob, opened the door of her bedroom, and glided in. 

There was a pause and then Jill shot out of the room, an angry look on her face. Four bedroom doors simultaneously closed completely, quickly and quietly. 

"CHUCK!" she bellowed. "CHUCK! Get up here, now!" 

Chuck sprinted out of his office, but still kept his head long enough to lock the door behind him. He headed up the stairs, taking the steps two at a time. Reaching the top, he cried, "Jill, are you okay?" He looked relieved when he found her unhurt. "What's the matter?" 

Morgan, Sarah and Casey having also heard Jill's cries, ran up the stairs and arrived soon after Chuck. 

"Where are my things, Chuck?" She eyed Sarah accusingly, "Everything of mine is gone and her things are in my room!" 

Sarah's eyes grew wide and her face showed nothing but genuine surprise. "I have no idea," she said, hoping Chuck believed her. 

"Well," Jill groused, "if you didn't do it, who did?" 

Chuck and Sarah's eyes met and understanding passed between them. His eyebrows knitted into a frown, but his eyes betrayed the slightest bit of amusement. Sarah used every ounce of control not to break out into a grin. 

"Everybody out here. Now!" he said in a loud and forceful voice. 

Four bedroom doors opened at the same time and seven contrite children shuffled out of their rooms slowly, eyes lowered to the floor. 

"What did you guys do?" Chuck asked. 

The children looked to Lizzie to be their spokesman as she was the oldest. "Well," she began, "Megan told us about how Ms. Roberts got turned around last night, looking for the kitchen and how you were woken up by it." She paused for a moment to see how her tale was being received. When there were no serious protests lodged, she ventured on. "We know how important your sleep is, Uncle Chuck, so we thought it might be a good idea to switch Ms. Roberts' and Miss Sarah's rooms." 

Chuck crossed his arms, "And how, exactly, would that help me?" 

Lisa picked up where Lizzie had left off. "Well, we figured that if Ms. Roberts needed some help with something, she could ask one of us instead of bothering you. That way your sleep wouldn't be disturbed." 

Fred nodded, "And since Miss Sarah has been here for awhile, she knows everything and doesn't need any help." 

During the kids' explanation, Sarah carefully watched the faces of all involved. Chuck was both irritated and amused, Jill was livid, Casey's eyes danced with glee and Morgan was completely indifferent. She was, however, having a hard time reading the children. She was convinced that some of this had to do with simply wanting to mess with Jill, but searching their faces, she knew there was more to it than that. 

Jill snorted at their rationalization. "Clearly Leslie, Linda, Frank and the other children are up to something." 

Everyone turned and looked at Jill, confused. 

Chuck shook his head a little and said, "Jill, Sarah and I need to speak with the children privately. Morgan and Casey, would you mind taking her downstairs and getting her something to drink? We'll be down in a few minutes after we get this all straightened out." 

Jill frowned at being dismissed but had no choice when Casey firmly took her by the elbow and escorted her down the stairs and to the kitchen. 

As soon as she was gone, the children only slightly relaxed. Chuck was still obviously disturbed by what the children had done to Jill, and they weren't sure what to expect next. 

"Okay, guys. What's all this really about?" Chuck asked, intuitively knowing there was more to the story. With seven kids, there was always more to the story. 

There was an awkward silence when no one wanted to speak up. Finally, Bridget stepped forward and said, "We just want to keep you safe, Uncle Chuck." Her brothers and sisters nodded emphatically behind her. "We know why Miss Sarah is here; to protect you." 

Curtis stepped forward to lend his support to his sister and continued, "We figured she can protect you best if she's always near you. So we switched her room with Ms. Roberts' room. That way she's between you and everyone else." 

Chuck's eyes narrowed as he scrutinized the face of each child, weighing their words in his mind. Sarah's eyes darted back and forth between Chuck's face and the children's, all of which were inscrutable. She had to admit that their explanation did make a certain amount of sense, although she wasn't sure Chuck saw it that way. 

They stood still, waiting for Chuck's reaction. Finally, voice stern, he responded, "If you had any concerns about my safety, you should've come to me or Miss Sarah first and we could have talked about it," glancing over to Sarah who nodded. His voice softened when he continued, "I appreciate your concern. I really do. But because this was really out of line, I'm going to have to punish you." 

Looks of unease overtook the children's faces as they glanced at each other. 

"First, you have to go to Ms. Roberts and apologize to her for messing with her things," Chuck said. 

Sarah didn't miss the flashes of disgust from the kids when they were told what they would have to do. Despite this, however, they nodded their heads in acceptance. 

"Second," Chuck continued, "No video games for a week." 

"Awww!" they groaned. They looked to Sarah for her to intervene on their behalf, but were disappointed when she said, "I'm sorry, guys, but I'm with Uncle Chuck on this one." She reached over and tucked some of Bridget's hair behind her ear. "You can't do stuff like that. Come talk to us first, okay?" 

They all bobbed their heads glumly. 

Sarah moved close to Chuck, stood on her tiptoes and whispered in his ear, "Chuck, would you mind if I talked to the kids alone for a minute?" She could have sworn she saw the hair on the back of his neck stand up. _Mmmm, he smells good. Wait. What was I saying?_

He shivered and she pulled away from him. She was a little rattled herself. 

"Okay," he rasped. Hearing himself, he cleared his throat and said directly to the kids, "As soon as you're done speaking with Miss Sarah, you will go directly to Ms. Roberts and give her your apologies." 

They all nodded, their faces sorrowful. 

Chuck turned and quickly descended the stairs. 

Lizzie surreptitiously eyed her siblings and smiled her encouragement at them. They smiled back in response. 

When she was sure Chuck was on his way to the kitchen, Sarah caught the kids' attention and indicated with a quick nod that she wanted them to follow her. They dutifully trailed her into Lizzie's room where they all filed past her as she stood at the door. When the last child entered the room and sat down, she softly closed the door, turned around and faced them. She then leaned her back against the door and crossed her arms across her chest. 

She said nothing. Within a minute, they were fidgeting and squirming under her intense gaze. When she knew they were sufficiently rattled, she said, "Spill." 

Their attempts to appear innocent of any underlying devious motives were unsuccessful. "You can stop with the angel faces. Not gonna work on me." 

Furtive glances were shared between the children in wordless conversation. All eyes fell on Bridget, the most diplomatic of the group. She pointed to herself and mouthed, "Me?" 

The rest nodded. Bridget sighed and her shoulders slumped. "We were hoping that if we moved her stuff, she might be bothered enough by us and just leave." 

"We don't like her," Lisa informed Sarah. 

"Yeah," they all affirmed. 

"And she never gets any of our names right," Curtis added. "She called me 'Craig' this morning." 

"Well, maybe she's just not good with names," Sarah replied, giving Jill the benefit of the doubt. Her statement was met with a chorus of snorts and guffaws. 

Lisa's look was especially skeptical. "Miss Sarah, you knew our names in two minutes." 

She shrugged in response. What could she say? It was all true. She didn't want to encourage them in their dislike of Jill, but she did have to admit to herself that Jill didn't seem to try to learn the kids' names, nor did she show any interest in them. _She only seems to pay attention to Chuck._

"She only pays attention to Uncle Chuck," Martie said quietly, echoing Sarah's thoughts. 

Sarah sighed and ran a hand through her hair, nodding. Sliding down the door, she sat on the floor with her hands clasped together and her forearms resting on bent knees. "Well, she'll only be here for a couple of weeks and then she'll be gone." 

"Well, that's the thing, Miss Sarah, and the other reason we moved the rooms. We think she won't want to leave. She's obviously going after Uncle Chuck," Lizzie said. "And she's not too subtle about it, if you know what I mean," she added, subtly nodding in Megan's direction. 

"So you heard about her little 'night wandering' last night?" 

"Yeah," Fred said. "We figured we'd better move her as far away from him as we could." 

"And we wanted you closer to Uncle Chuck," Megan stated. 

She smiled at their loyalty to her. "Thank you for looking out for both your Uncle Chuck and me." She shrugged again. "We'll just have to see what happens." She looked pointedly at them and said, "Your uncle loves you more than anything else in this world. Trust him, okay?" 

They smiled at her words, but still looked concerned. 

Seeing their obvious worry, she asked, "What wrong?" 

"Are we going to have to switch your rooms back?" Fred asked nervously. 

A crooked smile grew slowly on her face. "Hell n– Uh, no. Not if I have anything to say about it." 

They all relaxed and breathed sighs of relief. 

"Now go downstairs and apologize to Ms. Roberts." They all frowned. "Go get it over with. Go on." 

The children got up from their seats and miserably filed out of Lizzie's room and dragged themselves down the stairs. Sarah peered over the railing to ensure the children were on their way to find Chuck and Jill. She then silently walked into her relocated room, removed the bug she had planted by the lamp and stole into her old room. Glancing over her shoulder to make sure no one was watching, she planted the bug and stepped out again, exhaling as she left. 

_I think I'm going to like my new room._

~ O ~

The next couple of days dragged. It was the last week of summer vacation and the kids were bored since they were grounded from playing _Call of Duty_ , or any other video games. Although Sarah understood why Chuck punished them and fully supported his decision to do so, it made her life much more difficult. The kids were short tempered with each other and she was constantly dealing with their petty squabbling. And Jill was relentlessly in Sarah's face, asking why Chuck was always in his office and why couldn't she go in there. Jill always had questions for him about the party, and when she got a chance to ask him, his answers were uniformly, "You do what you think is best," which was what she was going to do anyway. 

To make matters worse, when Jill realized that Chuck and Sarah got together every morning to have coffee, she began to insinuate herself into their time together. Sarah couldn't stop the snort that came the first morning she found Jill sitting in her chair, wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt with her hair up in a neat ponytail. Unlike Sarah, who always just rolled out of bed to meet Chuck, Jill had clearly spent a good deal of time putting on her makeup before she left her room. _That explains the bagful of makeup in her suitcase. She's afraid to be seen without it._

After a couple of days of having Jill horn in on Chuck and Sarah's special time together, they simply gave up on it. Sarah got her coffee after she was dressed and ready for the day and Chuck began to drink his morning coffee while he worked alone in his office. 

Morgan was miserable as well. He didn't have anything to do as long as the kids couldn't play video games with him. For his own sanity, he begged Chuck to let the kids play with him again. Chuck finally relented, advising the children that the only reason he was shortening their sentence was because Uncle Morgan had intervened on their behalf. 

With the gaming prohibition lifted, the rest of the week went smoothly. Sarah helped the kids prepare for the first day of school, which included Chuck and her finally taking them on the dreaded school supply shopping trip. Martie and Megan were the only two excited by it, mostly because Martie got a new pink lunch box and Megan was just excited about going to school like her brothers and sisters. Sarah helped the younger ones find the things on their lists and Chuck helped the older kids. Supplies were tossed into the shopping cart from all directions. Somehow, an iPod with the Denver Broncos logo had made it into their cart. As Chuck removed it and returned it to the shelf, he was able to convinced Curtis it was not an essential school supply. By the time they entered the checkout line the cart was brimming with pencils, pens, paper, binders, scissors, crayons and every other kind of school supply imaginable. Sarah was proud that she was learning to ignore the stares they received as they cruised though the store and to just enjoy her time with Chuck and the kids. 

Soon, it was Monday morning and the first day of school had arrived. Both Chuck and Sarah were up especially early, making lunches and checking on any last minute details. Getting seven kids ready for school in the morning was a lesson in logistics and efficiency. Sarah followed Chuck's lead as he took charge in getting them dressed, fed and out the door to the van. The precision and timing of the whole operation was impressive and it reminded her in some ways of tactical missions she had been on in the past. _He would make a pretty good team leader._

First Lizzie, Fred and Lisa were dropped off at the high school. Without much fanfare, they jumped out of the van, waved and headed into the building together. At the K-8, Chuck parked the van and walked with Curtis, Bridget, Martie and Megan toward the school. All but Megan went to their classrooms unattended, although Martie received hugs from Chuck and Sarah before she left them. 

Now it was Megan's turn. Chuck held her right hand and Sarah held her left as they approached the fenced in kindergarten playground. There were already a good number of kids laughing, playing and chasing each other around the yard. Megan hesitated as they neared the entrance. 

"Nervous?" Sarah asked. 

Megan's eyes were wide when she nodded and looked up at her. "Miss Sarah, I don't know any of those kids." 

Megan dropped Chuck's hand when Sarah knelt down to her level. Still holding Megan's hand said, "Well, not right now you don't. But you'll know all of them by the end of the day. And remember, you'll only be here for a couple of hours since you only go to school until lunch." 

"Will you be here to pick me up?" she asked shyly. 

Sarah acted like she was shocked. "Of course I'll be here to pick you up! There's no place I'd rather be." 

Megan grinned and gave her a hug. 

Chuck stood by and watched the two, a contented smile on his face. 

She pulled back and looked Megan dead in the eye and said quietly, "You remember what we talked about?" 

Megan nodded solemnly. 

"No flipping, no spying, no snooping, no talking about what your uncle or I do for our livings, okay? Other than Uncle Chuck is a…" 

"Software engineer," Megan supplied. 

"And I'm your…" 

"Nanny," Megan finished. 

Sarah pulled Megan in for another hug, then stood and said, "Let's go meet your teacher." 

Megan took Chuck's hand again as they approached the teacher who was a kind looking woman in her mid-forties. She smiled when they approached. "Mr. Bartowski, it's nice to see you again. Bringing the next Woodcomb to school I see." She looked down at the little girl and said, "This must be Megan." 

Megan nodded, eyeing the teacher. 

"Megan, I'm Mrs. Dixon. I'll be your teacher this year. You, me and your classmates are going to have lots of fun," she said, smiling gently. 

Megan's return smile was unsure and Sarah felt her grip tighten, just a little. 

Mrs. Dixon looked at Chuck, then to Sarah and then back to Chuck. "Mr. Bartowski, did you get married since I had Martie in my class a couple of years ago?" Mrs. Dixon asked. 

Megan giggled and Chuck and Sarah glanced at each other slightly embarrassed. "Oh, no Mrs. Dixon," Megan supplied. Looking up at Sarah, Megan said, "Miss Sarah is my nanny." 

Sarah grinned at Megan and gave her hand a squeeze of approval. 

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Mrs. Dixon murmured, putting her hands to her cheeks. "I just assumed since you look so happy and you make an adorable…" She stopped and smiled, "I'll stop talking now." 

Chuck laughed, "No worries, Mrs. Dixon." The woman smiled her relief. 

Addressing Megan, she said, "Megan, why don't you say good-bye to your uncle and nanny and then put your backpack against the wall over there? Then you can go play on the playground for a few minutes. The bell will ring soon and we'll start our morning together." 

Both Chuck and Sarah knelt down and received tight hugs from Megan. She stepped away from them and tentatively walked onto the playground. Megan had just put her backpack down when the bell rang. She picked it up again and put it back on her shoulder, watching as the other kids formed a line and then taking her place in it. Mrs. Dixon opened the door to the classroom and the children filed past her into the school. Megan gave them a small wave just before she disappeared through the doorway. 

Chuck and Sarah turned and walked back toward the van. Sarah's throat felt tight and the back of her eyes burned. He glanced over and asked softly, "Are you okay?" 

She blinked a couple of times and choked out a laugh. "It's hard letting them go, isn't it?" 

He took her hand as they walked, his hand comforting her. Looking into her eyes, he said, "You have no idea." 

She chuckled and sniffled a little. As they walked hand-in-hand back to the van, Chuck said in a husky voice, "You know, Sarah, Megan will be done with school for the day in just a couple of hours. Why don't we go to the village and have coffee, walk around a little and then come back here, pick Megan up and go home?" 

_As long as you hold my hand again. Wait. I shouldn't be thinking like this._

"I'm not sure Jill would be very happy about that," Sarah ventured. 

Chuck shrugged. "She'll be working on party planning all morning." He said hesitantly, "I'm not sure the director would be very happy about it, either. 'No distractions,'" he mimicked. 

This time it was her turn to shrug. "It's only for a couple of hours. You'll work when you get home." 

He dropped her hand and opened her door for her. She climbed in the seat and looked over at him, standing by the still open door. His eyebrows did that adorable wiggling thing again when he said, "Why, Agent Walker! Are we going to play hooky this morning?" 

She flashed a brilliant smile. "I believe we are, Mr. Bartowski." 

He gave a satisfied nod as he shut her door. 

~ O ~

Megan's first day of kindergarten was a rousing success. She chattered nonstop the whole way home, telling them about the story Mrs. Dixon had read about the Gingerbread Man. After the story, they made a large gingerbread man of their own, but he disappeared from the table when they came back from the playground. Mrs. Dixon took them all over the school, looking for the errant cookie man. They finally found him in the cafeteria kitchen, where he had been baked. The captured snack was carried back to the classroom and devoured by the delighted children. 

Both Chuck and Sarah laughed out loud when Megan informed them that it would have been a lot easier to find the runaway gingerbread man if they had planted a GPS tracker on him before they went out for recess. 

There was much less exuberance over the first day of school from the rest of the kids as Lizzie, Fred and Lisa were already loaded with homework. They were all surprised when Jill volunteered to help Lizzie with her chemistry and Fred with his biology homework. As much as they hated to admit it, Jill was an excellent tutor, even though she tried to catch Chuck's attention whenever he passed the dining room where they were studying. Chuck, for his part, was obviously pleased that Jill and the kids were getting along better. 

The next morning went much like the first, the main difference being that Casey was at the house early to stay with Chuck as Sarah drove the kids to school alone. Before she left, she informed Chuck and Casey that she had an errand to do in the village and wouldn't be back to the house until she came home with Megan. 

After dropping the kids off at school, Sarah drove the van down to the village and dropped her knives to be sharpened and honed at the knife shop. She was thrilled to have someone with the right equipment and expertise to work on them. The shop owner was in awe of her weapons and as she handed them to him, he handled them with the greatest amount of respect and admiration. Usually only working with kitchen cutlery, he was excited that he would be able to work with such exotic pieces that had such beautiful craftsmanship. 

It was going to take at least an hour before her knives would be ready, so she decided to head back to the coffee shop she and Chuck had played hooky at the day before. Sitting at a small table by herself, she sipped her coffee and looked over the local newspaper left there by a previous occupant. She was reading a story about a bear sighting in Vail when she saw out of the corner of her eye, a pair of jeans standing next to her table. _Maybe if I don't make eye contact he'll go away and leave me alone._ She kept her attention glued to the newspaper. 

The man didn't leave and cleared his throat and asked, "Excuse me, miss. Is this seat taken?" 

Recognizing his voice immediately, Sarah looked up to see Chuck standing by her table, smiling down at her, Casey right behind him. She grinned up at him, surprised and excited to see him. "Chuck! I'm so glad… What are you…? How did you…?" _How does this man reduce me to a babbling idiot?_

"You mentioned that you had an errand to do down here in the village and I haven't had my coffee yet today," he shrugged, "so I took a chance and see if I could find you here. May I join you?" 

"Of course, Chuck. You don't have to ask." 

As Chuck sat down across the table from her, Casey grunted, "The nerd's yours now. I'm going back to my condo. Call if you need me." With that, he stalked out of the shop, not even giving her a chance to reply. 

She looked at his hands and teased, "Um, Chuck? You don't have any coffee." 

He blushed and said, "Well, if we didn't find you here, we were going to keep looking until we did. Plus, I don't like drinking my coffee alone anymore." 

A small smile crept across her face. "Neither do I," she replied. 

Chuck eventually did get his coffee and they sat and chatted the rest of the morning away, both disappointed when they had to leave the coffee shop and go retrieve her knives. Her eyes gleamed as she inspected them, her smile showing her approval of their newly-honed, deadly sharp edges. 

Walking back to the van, Chuck asked nervously, "Are those the, um, knives you had strapped to your, um, thigh the first night we talked in my office?" 

_My knives seem to have made quite an impact that night._ She glanced at him slyly, "Yes, Chuck, they are. Why do you ask?" 

He rubbed the back of his neck nervously and stammered, "I was just wondering. I thought I recognized them from when they were… strapped…" he swallowed, "holstered…" 

"Mm-hmm." Feeling a little wicked, she said, "Depending on what I'm wearing, sometimes I strap them to my calf." 

He stumbled and nearly fell. She shot a hand out and grabbed his arm to stop his tumbling. He regained his balance, but she didn't remove her hand from his arm as they made their way to the van. 

With Chuck working in his office every morning, Sarah would have to be alone in the house with Jill, who was already ready to draft volunteers, willing or otherwise, into service to prepare for the party. She couldn't stomach the idea, so over the next three mornings, she always thought of some errand to be done in the village so she wouldn't have to return until she picked Megan up from school. After the errand was accomplished, she would make her way to the coffee place, her feelings of anticipation not strictly based on the quality of the coffee. Each morning Chuck and Casey found her. Casey would escort Chuck to Sarah's table and then leave. On the third morning this happened, Sarah jumped up from the table and chased Casey down just before he walked out the door of the shop. 

"Casey," she looked up him, "why are you doing this?" 

She saw a gleam in his eye when he answered, "The nerd needs his daily walk." 

~ O ~

The Friday afternoon before the party was a whirlwind of activity. Julie, the housekeeper, spent most of the day cleaning, scrubbing and shining everything in the house. 

Steve and Dan, the landscapers, were currently working in the backyard. They had been hired by Jill to, in addition to preparing the yard for the party, string white twinkle lights through the trees in the backyard, outside the gazebo and across the balcony. 

Jill had instructed Chuck to supervise Steve and Dan as they worked. Sarah stayed close to him as he interacted with the two men. She had never met them before, having only seen them from the house as they worked in the yard of various occasions. Steve had blond hair and was short with a muscular build. He had merry blue eyes and a quick wit. His partner, Dan, was much more reserved. He was much taller than Steve and had dark hair and dark eyes. 

"Chuck, I've got a bunch of lights we need to string up. Can you show me where the outlets are?" Steve asked. 

Sarah didn't want to look like she was hovering too closely, so she said, "Chuck, you go ahead with Steve. I'll stay here and watch the guys assemble the dance floor." 

Dan, who had been busy clipping some nearby hedges stopped his work, walked over to Sarah and introduced himself to her. "I'm Dan," he said, smiling. 

"I'm Sarah, Chuck's nanny." 

"Nice to meet you." Dan stood next to her and watched as the large squares of the dance floor were being assembled in the middle of the yard. 

"You know that dance floor is terrible for the grass," he said. "It will take days for it to recover from the trauma of being smashed down like that." 

Sarah shrugged, not having thought about it much. "It's where Ms. Roberts wants it, so that's where it's going to go," she sighed. 

Dan nodded. "So, what's the deal with Mr. Bartowski and Ms. Roberts? Are they dating or anything?" 

Sarah shook her head, "No, I don't think so. They're just friends from college." 

Dan then asked, "So, what's the deal with you? Are you dating anyone or anything?" 

Surprised at his sudden question, she didn't reply right away. Backtracking a little, he said, "You know, because I was just wondering if you'd like to go get coffee or something sometime. With me," he added with a sheepish grin. 

She couldn't help but smile at his fumbling attempt to ask her out. "I'm sorry, but I'm kind of busy with the kids right now. Can you give me a raincheck for a later date?" 

Looking pleased that he wasn't completely blown off, he smiled in relief and said, "Sure." As he moved away from her and returned to working on the hedges, Chuck returned with Steve. 

"Are we good to go?" Chuck asked. 

"I think so," Sarah replied. "The dance floor is almost ready. How are the lights?" 

"Steve and Dan will get them up today, right Dan?" he called. 

Dan smiled and waved, "Right, Mr. Bartowski!" 

As they turned and walked back toward the house, they saw the two men exchange high-fives, with Dan grinning as Steve punched him in the shoulder. 

"What was that about?" Chuck asked. 

"Oh, Dan asked me out for coffee," Sarah said nonchalantly. 

He stopped short. "What? Dan…? What?" he sputtered. 

Avoiding her gaze, he continued carefully, "What did you say?" 

"I told him I needed a raincheck." Seeing Chuck's increasingly downcast expression, Sarah lightly bumped her shoulder against his. "I was being polite, Chuck. You know that I require very specific company when I drink my coffee." 

He laughed as he started walking again. "You 'require', huh? Well I'm glad I fulfill your requirements, Miss Walker." 

Joining his laughter, "I need to go pick up the kids at school," she reminded him. "You want to ride shotgun?" 

He grinned at her and replied, "You know I do." 

~ O ~

The evening for the party finally arrived. Sarah was just finishing getting ready as the first guests began to arrive. Jill had declared that the event was to be semi-formal since she thought people in Colorado dressed much too casually all the time. Sarah had helped the kids get dressed and downstairs before she allowed herself to prepare for the party. After putting on the finishing touches to her makeup, she strapped her knives to her thigh. I wonder what Chuck's face would look like if he walked in right now, she thought as she put her foot on a chair, slid up her skirt and strapped a small pistol to the other thigh. She placed an earwig in her ear and checked that her comms were working. With all the added security for the evening, Casey had requested and received an upgrade to the communication devices for the team. 

"Casey, how's it going down there?" 

"Guests are starting to arrive. I'm with Bartowski." There was a pause and then he asked, "Where are you, anyway?" 

"I'm in my room and on my way down right now." 

"Roger that. Let's catch us a mole tonight." 

As she opened the door and closed it behind her, she suddenly felt nervous. She knew the security team assembled was the best, but she still felt apprehensive, knowing what was at stake. 

Standing at the top of the stairs, she surveyed the scene down below. Chuck stood alone, hands behind his back, glancing around and looking slightly uncomfortable. He looked very handsome in his dark suit, white dress shirt and blue tie. _He cleans up nicely,_ she thought approvingly, noticing that he had gone so far as to replace his ubiquitous chucks with dress shoes. 

He seemed to sense her gaze on him. He turned, looked up the stairs and watched her descend. She felt a tingle of excitement shoot through her when she watched his face go from a smile, to wide eyes and slack face. 

She smiled happily. _I guess he approves of my dress._ Not having time to shop, she wore what she brought with her from DC, the essential piece of every woman's wardrobe, the little black dress. The top was a form fitting v-neck with wide straps at the shoulders. At the waist, the bodice gathered and from there the skirt pleated down to where it stopped just above the knee. Her shoes were classic black pumps. Blonde hair fell in soft curls around her shoulders and the small drop diamond earring she wore sparkled in the light. His eyes were on her the whole way down the stairs. When she stepped off the final stair, she closed the distance between them and smiled at him. "You look very handsome tonight, Chuck," she said, reaching out and adjusting his tie. 

"You look beautiful," he managed, still looking like he had been zapped by a stun gun. 

She smiled at his compliment. 

The children, who had been told to wait for Sarah in the living room, grinned and nudged each other. 

At that moment, Jill arrived and slipped her hand through Chuck's arm, taking it possessively. "Don't you look nice, Miss Sarah," she said through gritted teeth. "Black, what a bold and innovative statement," she deadpanned. 

"Thank you, Ms. Roberts. And you look stunning in your…orange and chartreuse…dress." 

Jill looked pleased that her dress was garnering attention. "Do you like it? It's Austrian haute couture." 

Sarah coughed once and stared at the ground when she heard Casey, who was standing a few feet away from them, grunt into her earwig, "That dress looks like the unholy union of Kermit the Frog and a traffic cone." 

"Well, enjoy the party, Miss Sarah. The children are right over there and waiting for you," Jill said, dismissing her. 

_Shrew._

"The children look great tonight. Thank you for helping them get ready," Chuck said. 

"You're welcome, Chuck." She smiled and then without another word, Sarah turned and walked to over to where the children sat slumped and unhappy on the living room couches. 

"This party is boring," Curtis said, standing up. "It's just a bunch of grownups standing around drinking and talking." 

"Well, let's go outside then and look around," Sarah suggested, motioning for the kids to follow her. 

They stood up and shuffled out the back door down the stairs to the backyard. A few couples were dancing on the dance floor, the DJ's music blasting. 

"I like the twinkle lights. They're really pretty," Martie sighed, her eyes filled with wonder. 

Bridget agreed, "They look like fairies in the trees." 

"Very poetic, Bridget," Sarah complimented her. 

"And the women look so beautiful," Bridget said. 

Curtis snorted. "I think they look ugly." 

"You only say that because you're scared of them," Lisa replied. 

"Silly," Curtis shot back, "only grownup men are scared of women." 

They all stood off to the side, watching the dancers. 

The song ended and another started. It started with two violins melodically harmonizing. The couples on the dance floor shrugged and left, not knowing how to dance to the tune. 

"What's that playing?" Megan asked. 

"It's called _Por una Cabeza._ " Sarah answered. "It's a famous tango." 

Curtis' eyes lit up. "I recognize it! It was in that movie _True Lies_ , about a spy who doesn't tell his wife that he is one." 

_Sounds about right._

Curtis looked to Sarah. "There's no one else on the dance floor." He looked around and added, "Everyone else has gone back inside." He stepped up to her and said, "Can you show me how to tango, Miss Sarah?" 

She chuckled, "Oh, Curtis, I haven't danced it in a long time." 

"Oh, you remember. Please?" he asked. 

"Well…" she hesitated. 

"Please," he begged. 

She cupped his cheeks in her hands and said, "Alright, come on over here." 

They stood in the middle of the dance floor, facing each other. "Now, you put your right hand on my back and I put my left hand on your shoulder, like this." She positioned his hand into the correct place and then put her hand on his shoulder. "Then you hold my right hand in your left hand, out like this," placing them into the classic dance position. 

"You first move your right foot forward and I'll move left foot back and then do a little back and forth movement before you step forward with your left foot and I step back with my right," she instructed. "One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four." 

From the balcony, Chuck saw Sarah and the children and decided to join them. Smiling, he hurried down the stairs and across the grass to the dance floor. Casey shadowed him from a short distance. 

Curtis was having trouble coordinating his feet with the music and stepped on Sarah's toe. 

"Oh, I'm sorry, Miss Sarah," he cried. 

"Don't worry about it Curtis. The tango is really hard. Let's try it again." They started again, with not much more success than they had before. Having her head down watching their feet meant she didn't see Chuck approach. 

He stepped up to them and patted Curtis on the shoulder. "Um, do allow me will you, please." 

Curtis nodded and stepped away, joining his siblings off to the side. Chuck held out his hand to Sarah who, although she was stunned to see him there, took it. He glanced over to the kids, their jaws dropped in surprise. To their unspoken question, he winked at them and said, "Your mother made me take lessons." They all grinned. 

Sarah's heart pounded as he took her in his arms, the music of the violins swelling around them. He led them around the dance floor, taking small steps and stopping once to dip her back slightly. She knew her face held nothing but surprise and wonder as her pulse resounded in her ears. They glided around the floor some more, him dipping her slightly again. 

The violins came to the end of a phrase and Sarah, having heard the song many times before, swallowed hard, knowing what was about to come. 

"Are you ready?" he whispered in her ear. 

"Yes," she answered, just as the piano overtook the violins with a resounding beat: bah-dum-bum-BUM. At the piano's entrance, Chuck, still holding onto her left hand, spun her and she stepped away from him. Their arms extended out completely and when he pulled her back to him, her body collided dramatically into his. His hand returned to her back and he guided them around the dance floor. The pounding tempo of the tango filled the night sky, and once again at a crescendo, he dipped her backward, so far this time that, when quickly he pulled her back close to him, her hair flew into both of their faces. Thrilled, she laughed and shook her head, trying to regain control of the tresses. 

Chuck, too, let out a laugh and led her more aggressively around the dance floor as the music grew more dramatic. He pointed their clasped hand straight out to the side and strutted them across the floor in classic tango steps, occasionally stopping to dip or spin her. 

When the violins regained the melody of the song, the couple stopped in the middle of the floor. They rotated their bodies a quarter turn in the opposite direction of each other and took a small step. Then, they pivoted and took a small step in the other direction. They executed this move several times, all in perfect time with the music. When he held her close again and led her across the floor, she let her forehead rest against his cheek. 

The piano once more overcame the violins and dominated the tempo. Their bodies pressed tightly together, they spun around together several times in harmony, both of them laughing. A single violin's counter-melody soared above the main melody, a perfect complement to the rhythm of the music. 

He spun her again, this time having her ending in his arms with her arms crossed in front of her, her hands in his and one shoulder against his chest as they moved forward several steps and then quickly changed directions and stepped forward again. 

The music slowed, as did their dance. He held her hand above her head and spun her twice, stopping her so that they once again faced each other. As the music died away, they struck a pose: their joined hands held high in the air, he leaned her slightly back, her left leg wrapped around his right. 

After the music had completely ended, he pulled her up from the dip and into his embrace. Neither of them moved as they stood in each other's arms, their bodies pressed together, oblivious to their surroundings. Their eyes locked, their parted lips so close that their breath mingled. 

Leaning into each other, they bridged the small gap between them and their lips met in a tender kiss. It was the sweetest, gentlest and most honest kiss Sarah had ever known. It lasted for all too brief an instant. Drawing back, they searched each other's eyes. 

What she saw in Chuck's eyes – exhilaration, desire, confusion – she knew shone back at him from her own. She closed them so he wouldn't see that from her. He couldn't. But she knew it was too late. 

"Sarah," he whispered, his voice full of emotion. 

Tears stung her closed eyes and threatened to force their way through her lashes and escape down her cheeks. She choked on the words when she whispered, "Chuck, I can't." She didn't know where she got the strength to do so, but she somehow dropped his hand and stepped back from his embrace. 

A myriad of emotions flooded through her. All she knew was that she had to get away. She couldn't look at him, or else her resolve would crumble. Turning and running across the grass back toward the house, she called into her comm for Casey to stay with the children. 

Chuck took off after her, calling her name, trying to get her to stop and talk to him. She maintained her pace, never slowing as she climbed the stairs with Chuck close at her heels. She ran through the living room and up the stairs. Seeking the safety of her room, she ran into it and closed the door. A few seconds later, Chuck opened the door, stepped in and closed it behind him. They faced each other, she by the window and he by the door. They were as far apart from each other as they could be and still be in the same room. 

"Sarah, what was that? Why did you run away from me?" 

She made the mistake of looking into his eyes. They were full of distress and confusion. It nearly undid her to see him so hurt and all because of her. Afraid to speak, she pressed her lips together and shook her head, the tears finally coming. 

"You don't know what to say," he said, understanding her, "so I'll ask you a question. You said, 'I can't.' You can't what?" 

Her throat constricted and the room was a blur. Somehow she choked out, "I can't let you care about me." 

"It's too late," he replied softly. 

Her eyes met his. She found her voice and said, "I'm a spy, Chuck. I'm here to protect you and your family. I'm supposed to do a job. I can't let my feelings for you get in the way of protecting you." 

His eyes held hers. "You just said you have feelings for me." 

She flinched. "Yes, I do," she admitted quietly. _I can't help it._ "But I can't. They pound into us at the Agency not to get emotionally involved with our assets. It makes us lose focus and people get hurt. I can't lose focus, Chuck. I can't take that risk. I can't let anything happen to you or the kids. I can't." 

"But you've obviously been emotionally connected to the kids for a long time. How is that any different than now?" 

"It just is." _Because this is about you._ She swiped a hand across her cheeks, trying to dry them of the tears. 

"That's not good enough." 

_I'm not good enough._ "Chuck, I'm not good for you." Her gaze returned to the floor in front of her. With a hint of despair she said, "I've done lots of things in my past, even before I joined the CIA that I'm not proud of." 

He took a tentative step toward her. "I don't care about any of that, Sarah. I care about who you are now, not who you think you used to be." 

Her pulse pounded in her ears and she felt sick. But it had to be said. "What about when I leave?" 

He jerked. "You're leaving us?" he croaked. "Now?" 

Her eyes snapped up from the floor to his face. "No," she said quickly. "I would never leave in the middle of a mission." She paused, not wanting to say what she had to say. "But I'll have to leave when this mission is over. We'll catch the mole, you'll finish up Project Sun Ray and I'll be recalled to Washington to start a new mission somewhere else." 

He didn't have to say anything. The pain on his face was enough. 

"I'm a spy. I'm here to protect you. That's all." It was the only thing she could say. It was her mantra, her lone lifeline to keep her from being completely pulled under by his eyes. 

"Will this change your mind about leaving?" He took another step toward her. "Sarah Walker, I love you." 

She didn't respond. She couldn't. She was too dizzy, too confused, too overwhelmed. Just, too… 

He paled at her silence. "You're going to leave us," he stated, finally realizing she meant what she said. 

She blinked, the tears streaming down her face, and yet she remained silent. 

He spoke barely above a whisper. "I understand, Sarah. I understand what I have to do now." With that, he turned and walked out the door, leaving her standing there, completely and utterly alone.


	10. Chapter 10

Sarah wasn't sure how long she stood there in her room, stunned and unmoving, but it probably felt longer than it actually was. _What just happened? He loves me? I don't even know how to process that._ Her legs suddenly felt a little unsure under her so she sat down on the side of her bed. Closing her eyes, she took deep breaths; in through the nose, out through the mouth, in through the nose, out through the mouth. 

She shook her head, trying to clear it and cope with the unfamiliar emotional upheaval she was experiencing. Doing what she always did when confronted with feelings that made her uncomfortable, she focused on the mission at hand. 

Pushing all other thoughts from her mind, she said into her comm, "Casey, I'm sorry I took off like that." 

There was little sympathy in Casey's voice as he replied, "Walker, I need you down here with the kids. Bartowski is back downstairs and I can't cover both him and them. The other two agents are watching the office." 

"Copy. I'll be down in a minute." She stepped into her bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. Her mascara was smudged and her nose was red and running, making her look like a raccoon with a head cold. She fixed the smeared mascara and wiped her nose. _I wonder if anyone will believe me if I tell them I've had a sudden onset of allergies._

Steeling herself, she opened the door and went back downstairs. Casey had brought the children back in from the backyard and they currently were in living room. They were huddled around him, entranced by his words. As she came into earshot, she heard him say, "For two months I lived in the walls of that dictator's compound – " 

Sarah cleared her throat and said, "Thank you, Mr. Casey. I'm sure you can finish your story another time." 

He glanced up at her and immediately noticed the red eyes and nose. She shot him a warning look and he simply stood, stepped out the door to the balcony and moved to a position near Chuck. Jill was hanging on his arm as he smiled and chatted with his guests. Just by looking at him through the window, she could see he wasn't really engaged with the people with whom he spoke. He was clearly distracted, but it seemed he was doing his best to make it through the rest of the party, something she was going to do herself. 

Moving to the spot on the couch vacated by Casey, she sat down amongst the children. Concerned, they glanced at each other and then at her. They followed her gaze and saw that she was unable to take her eyes off Chuck. 

"Miss Sarah, are you okay?" Megan asked, coming over and climbing into her lap, peering into her face with a worried look. 

Sarah took a deep breath and sighed heavily. "Yeah, it's just an allergy attack. I'll be okay." 

Satisfied, Megan nodded. Sarah scanned the faces of the other children and, with the exception of Martie who had also accepted Sarah's allergy excuse, was met with skeptical looks. They looked Lizzie for guidance. She furrowed her brow, frowned a little and shook her head slightly, warning them from asking Sarah any further questions. 

Morgan wandered over to where the kids sat and flopped down in the only available seat next to Lizzie. He looked as miserable as the kids did. 

"Miss Sarah? How much longer do we have to stay at this lame party?" Fred asked. 

She glanced at her watch. It was only ten fifteen. "I'm afraid it will probably go on for at least another hour." 

Groans and grumbling was the response along with a big yawn from Megan. That started off a chain reaction and soon all the kids were yawning. 

"You know guys, I think it's time for you to go to bed," Sarah stated. _I could stand to get out of here myself. It would be a great excuse for me to go upstairs and hide._

"It seems like we should do some kind of grand exit or something," Fred said as they stood. 

"Yeah, like some kind of song where we all go off and go upstairs one by one," Lisa agreed. 

As they stepped out onto the balcony to say good-night to Chuck, Lisa and Fred looked at each other and said, "Nah!" 

Sarah hung back at the door to the balcony, unable to face him again tonight. She was too confused, it was all too raw. 

The kids each said their "good-nights" to Chuck and Jill and returned to the house. Sarah dared to look at Chuck for a split-second, but his face was a mask. Her stomach dropped. Somehow, she felt worse than she had before. 

She herded the kids up the stairs, her at the back of the pack. Into her comms, she said, "Casey, I'm going to stay upstairs with the kids." 

"Roger. I'll stay with Bartowski and Jill the barnacle." 

She grumbled under her breath, which was not lost on Casey. 

"Sorry," he said. In a moment of compassion, he added, "Walker, I really am sorry. It's the sacrifices we have to make for the job." 

Touched by his genuine concern for her, she rasped, "Thanks, John." 

"And by the way," he added, "There's been zero movement on the mole front. No one has even looked at the office door." 

"Copy," she sighed. Great. Now she would have to stay and it would be nothing but awkward between Chuck and her from now on. _I just have to be distant and professional around him. She snorted under her breath. Easier said than done._

"I'll be in my room, but I'll keep my earwig in so you can call if you need me." 

"Roger." 

Once the children were in bed, she went to her room and sat on her bed. The door remained open so she could keep an eye on the kids' rooms and the staircase. The party was still going on downstairs, but she was glad to be away from the festivities. She wasn't feeling particularly jolly at the moment and was happy just to lie down on the top of her bed, listen to the laughter and music, and go numb. 

~ O ~

The sound of voices pulled Lizzie from sleep. She rolled over in her bed and glanced at the clock on her nightstand. It read seventeen minutes after midnight. Picking her head up off her pillow, she cocked it and listened more closely. The sound of music from the DJ's speakers had ended and she only heard two voices now. Apparently the party was over and all the guests were gone. She rolled over and tried to go back to sleep, but her mouth was dry and a tickle in her throat was bugging her. 

Throwing the covers off of her, she climbed out of bed, opened the door and shuffled down the hall, heading for the kitchen to get a drink of water. She usually had a bottle of water by her bed at night, but had polished it off before she fell asleep. 

She yawned and got about halfway down the staircase when she stopped, suddenly tuning into the conversation going on just down the stairs and around the corner from where she stood. 

"Chuck, I had a wonderful time tonight. I enjoyed getting to know your friends, too. They were all very nice and seemed to really like me, don't you think?" she heard Jill ask. Not waiting for a response, she plunged ahead with her monologue. "My friends were just so enamored with you, too. They all think you're wonderful," she gushed. "And so do I." 

Lizzie opened her mouth wide and pretended to gag herself with her finger down her throat. 

Chuck laughed, and Lizzie could hear a hint of embarrassment in it. "It was a very nice party, Jill. You did a wonderful job planning it. I'm glad my friends liked you and thank you for introducing me to yours." 

Jill giggled and then sighed loudly. This time, Lizzie's eyes rolled. "You know, Chuck," she started quietly, "there's really nothing keeping me in New York. What if I moved to Colorado?" She paused and then added, "To Beaver Creek?" 

"Well, I hadn't really-" 

"I know it might seem sudden, Chuck, but I realize now how stupid I was to leave you and go to Europe after college. You're so successful now, and have this wonderful house. I didn't know what I was giving up," she said. 

Lizzie could feel her annoyance level rising. _Sure, now she wants him now that he's successful. Where was she when he was just out of college, her having stomped on his heart?_

Chuck made some noncommittal noises. 

"You don't have to answer right now, Chuck, but just think about it, will you? I'm not leaving until Monday." 

Lizzie was shocked when she heard sincerity in Chuck's voice when he said, "It's been great seeing you again, Jill. It really has. I have to confess that it hurt when you left after college. A lot. But now, seeing you again, it's helped me get over that hurt." 

Lizzie heard Jill let out a happy sigh. 

"Can we talk about this tomorrow? I'm tired and just want to go to bed," he said wearily. "Besides, it's not just me. The kids have a say in it, too." 

There was an awkward pause. "Of course, Chuck," Jill purred. "You take your time." 

Lizzie heard what sounded like a loud kissing sound. She hoped and prayed it was a kiss on Chuck's cheek, but she wasn't sure. Either way, she put a hand on her stomach and grimaced at the bad taste that was suddenly in her mouth. 

Realizing that she was in a perilous position, she turned and quietly sprinted back up the stairs and ran to her room. She carefully closed the door behind her and jumped into the bed, lying on her stomach. A few moments later, she heard the door open quietly, and knew that Uncle Chuck was peeking in on her to make sure she was okay. Her heart pounded and she did everything she could to keep from breathing heavily. The door closed again as Chuck moved to the next room and she let out her held breath and panted a couple of times, sucking in air. 

She rolled onto her back and stared up at the ceiling. _Ms. Roberts wants to move here? Oh boy._

~ O ~

The light streaming into her room woke Sarah up. She was both dazed and disoriented as she tried to figure out why she had apparently slept on top of her bed. She remembered being awake when the party broke up around eleven forty-five, the last time she looked at her clock. _I must have fallen asleep as soon as the house quieted._ At some time during the night, someone had come into her room and covered her with a blanket since one was over her and she didn't remember getting it. She threw the blanket off and realized she was still in the dress she had worn at the party. Her fingers rubbed her temples, and groaned as the memories of the night before flooded into her brain. 

She put her fingers to her lips. That kiss. He loves me. She didn't know what to think. _I can't think about that right now._ She needed to find out what was going on with the kids. Changing out of her dress, she threw on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt and rushed out her door. She nearly tumbled down the stairs and hurried into the kitchen. The kids and Morgan were sitting happily around the table, munching on the sugary breakfast cereals that Chuck only allowed to be eaten on weekends. 

"Are you guys okay?" she asked, still obviously off her game. 

They looked at her with confused looks. "Why wouldn't we be?" 

"I sort of overslept," she answered sheepishly. She groaned, "Oh, no! It's ten-thirty? Why didn't someone get me up?" 

"It's Sunday," Lisa answered with a shrug. "And Uncle Morgan was here to help us." 

Sarah smiled her thanks to Morgan. A thought hit her and she frowned. "Wait a minute. Where's Uncle Chuck?" 

"He went to the bank," Bridget said. 

"The bank? But it's Sunday. It's not even open," she said. She put a hand to her forehead. _I think I'm going crazy._

Fred shrugged and just before shoveling a spoonful of Cap'n Crunch in his mouth, said, "He called the bank manager this morning. They're friends, I guess." In went the cereal and he chewed a couple of times before he mumbled with mouth still full, "He said he had to get something really important out of his safe deposit box." Bits of cereal and milk flew from his mouth as he spoke. 

Lizzie shot Fred a sour look. "You're disgusting." 

Fred opened his mouth wide to show Lizzie his partially masticated food. Grimaces and groans of disgust erupted around the table, except from Curtis and Morgan, who laughed and then mimicked Fred, showing off their food as well. 

"Okay, boys. Enough of that," Sarah said without humor. She was still completely out of sorts and hated feeling like she was three steps behind what going on. 

Suddenly, she paled slightly. "He didn't go to the bank by himself, did he?" 

Megan shook her head slowly, "Oh, no, Miss Sarah. Mr. Casey came by and picked him up in his car." 

"They've been gone about an hour," Lisa added, anticipating her next question. 

Relief flooded through her. "Okay, good." She looked around the table again. "Where's Ms. Roberts?" Her eyes narrowed, "Did she go with Uncle Chuck?" 

Lizzie choked a little on her cereal when Sarah asked that question. She squinted at Lizzie as the teenager stared intently into her cereal bowl. What's that about? 

"No, she's still sleeping," Martie said. 

Sarah processed all of this information. Casey took Chuck to the bank to get something really important, on a Sunday. It made no sense. She finally voiced the most cogent thought she had since she awoke that morning, "I need coffee." 

~ O ~

Chuck and Casey stood outside the doors of the Beaver Creek branch of the First Republic Security American National Federal Bank of the Rockies, waiting for the bank manager to meet them. Casey was more than a little irritated that his Sunday morning ritual of cleaning his weapons was interrupted by Chuck's phone call asking him for a ride to the bank. 

"Why couldn't this wait until tomorrow, Bartowski?" Casey grumbled. 

"Because I don't want to wait any longer and I have to do what needs to be done today." 

"What's that got to do with the bank?" 

"I need to get something," he said without elaboration. 

Casey grunted and gave up trying to get any more information from him. 

They waited another ten minutes until Ben Martin, the branch manager, strode up to the two men. He shook first Chuck and then Casey's hand. 

"Thank you for interrupting your Sunday morning for me, Ben," Chuck said earnestly. "I've suddenly been put under a time crunch and I couldn't see any other way of getting around it other than contacting you." 

Ben smiled and replied, "No problem, Chuck. Anything for one of our best customers." Chuck had deposited a substantial amount of money in the bank when he and the kids first moved to Beaver Creek and the bank's management made sure to keep him happy. 

Ben unlocked the doors and then went immediately to the security pad and punched in the code to disarm the alarm system. He flipped the lights on and the three of them strode across the bank floor toward the vault where the safe deposit boxes were located. He unlocked more locks, punched in more codes into more keypads and was finally able to swing the vault door open. 

Casey stood outside the vault and waited while the other two men entered. Ben found yet another key on his key ring and asked Chuck, "Which box is yours?" 

Chuck stepped over to it and pointed saying, "Box 1118." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his key. Ben took the key, put both keys in the box door and turned the locks. He opened the door, slid the box out and handed it to Chuck. 

"I'll just step out and let you find what you need. Please let me know when you're finished," Ben said. 

"Thanks, Ben," Chuck replied, placing the box on the table and flipping up the lid. 

Inside the box was a jumble of papers, documents and other assorted bits of family history. He took the ownership certificate for his car and the deed to the house out of the box and laid them on the table. Next, out came nine birth certificates, two death certificates and one marriage certificate. He knew he couldn't look at the death certificates, but something compelled him to look at the marriage certificate. He slowly unfolded it and looked down at his sister's and brother-in-law's names. The emotions the sight invoked nearly overwhelmed him, so he quickly folded the paper back up and put it off to the side with the other certificates. 

He smiled when he saw the cover of his Stan Lee autographed Spider-Man comic book. Standing in line outside that comic book store in Pasadena when he was a kid was one of the last things he did with his dad before he left. They stood in line for two hours before they finally got to meet the comic book legend. He chuckled remembering how in awe he felt with he finally stepped up to the table where Mr. Lee sat. He never was able to get any words out. Rather, he just shoved the comic in front of the man, waited for him to sign it and then walked away, speechless. 

Sticking his hand into the back of the box, he finally found what he was looking for. He pulled three small red jewelry boxes out and placed them on the table. He wasn't sure which one held what he had come for, so he would have to open each one until he found the right one. Slowly opening the first box, he saw Devon's gold wedding band. He closed the lid quickly and put it off to the side. The next box revealed Ellie's engagement ring and wedding band. Tears threatened again, so he quickly repeated what he had done with Devon's ring. 

The box he now held in his hand was the one he came for. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. His hands trembled as he opened the box. Nestled in the white velvet was his mother's engagement ring. She had left it on his nightstand the day she left. At the time he didn't understand what it meant and to this day, he still wasn't sure why she left it with him. His father never seemed too bitter about her disappearance and always spoke about his absent wife fondly. Maybe it was a way for Chuck to remember her. Whether or not that was her intention, he didn't know. It was simply what he chose to believe. 

The ring was nothing out of the ordinary, really, as far as engagement rings went. It was actually very simple and understated: a thin gold band with a one carat round brilliant cut diamond held by four white gold prongs. But his heart pounded just looking at it. He wiped his hand on his jeans before he took it between his thumb and forefinger and slid it from the slot. Staring at the ring, he moved it around a little so that the light caught the diamond, making it sparkle. 

Eventually, he placed the ring back in the box and he snapped the lid shut. He stuck everything he had removed from the safe deposit box, including the other two red boxes, back into it and called for Ben, who then locked the container away. He shoved the box with his mother's engagement ring in his pocket and stepped out of the vault, both relieved and apprehensive. It suddenly felt like he had a fifty pound weight in his pocket. 

"You okay, there, Bartowski?" Casey asked. "You look a little green around the gills." 

Chuck tried to smile, but it came off as him looking slightly ill. "I'm just a little nervous, that's all." 

Casey narrowed his gaze and asked quietly, "You know what you're doing, Chuck?" 

The nerves faded and this time, he was able to give Casey a decent smile. "Yes, Casey, I know exactly what I'm doing." 

~ O ~

Chuck and Casey had barely walked through the door when Sarah pulled Casey into the living room and said quietly, "Casey, I need a little time to myself. I'd like to go for a walk and clear my head. Can you stay here for awhile this afternoon?" She pleaded, "Just this once? Please?" 

He grunted his yes. "I was going to use my afternoon to clean my guns, but I guess I'll have to go kill some video game bad guys instead. He stared hard at her, "You owe me, Walker." 

She nodded, "Yes, I owe you big time. When the kids ask, just tell them I went for a walk and will be back later. If I try to tell them, they'll want to come along." 

"Roger," he replied. 

She placed a hand on his arm and looked into his face. Under the gruff exterior, she could see compassion. "Thank you, Casey." 

He nodded once and said, "You'd better get going." 

The weather had grown chilly so she pulled on a sweatshirt before she slipped out the door, hurried down the back stairs and took off down one of the paths away from the house. 

~ O ~

Chuck sat on his bed, the ring box open in his hand. He stared at the ring inside, unsure as to how this whole thing would all play out, but, remembering his sister's words, he also knew he needed to do something. For just a moment, he placed his fingers to his lips, remembering the events of the evening before. His resolve restored, he closed the box, stood and returned it to his pocket. Then he walked out of his room and down the stairs. 

What Chuck didn't know was that Megan, deciding her spy skills needed work, had been watching him the entire time, peering around the doorway. She had been practicing her "skulking" and was proud that she had been able to follow him for the last fifteen minutes without him noticing her. She had hoped he would put the mysterious red box in his nightstand drawer so she could further investigate, but, much to her disappointment, he put it back into his pocket. When she realized he was coming toward her, she ran into Sarah's room to hide. He passed by her without a glance when he headed for the stairs. 

Deciding she needed more intel, she ghosted her way to Lizzie's room, slipped in and shut the door. Sitting on her bed amidst her chemistry book, calculator and a layer of papers strewn about, Lizzie glanced at Megan and said, "Kinda busy right now, squirt. What do you want?" 

"Um, I just want to know what might be in a little red box," Megan asked trying to get information without giving any up, something Miss Sarah had told her about. 

Lizzie sighed, "What kind of little red box?" She looked over at Megan. "How small is it?" 

Megan indicated the size with her hand. "Pretty small." 

Lizzie's eyebrow quirked up, suddenly very interested. "How does it open?" 

"The top flips up. It doesn't let go in the back." She thought for a minute and added, "Like the way my toy box lid works." 

"Where did you see this little red box, Megan?" 

"Uncle Chuck had it. He was sitting on his bed staring at it with this funny look on his face. Then he closed it and put it in his pocket and went downstairs." 

Lizzie paled and swayed a little. 

"Are you okay?" Megan asked, looking intently at her sister. 

"Yeah, my stomach hurt there for a second but I'm okay now." She thought for a minute and then said, "Megan, don't tell anyone else about the little red box, okay? Especially don't tell Miss Sarah." 

She nodded. "What's in the box, Lizzie?" Megan wanted to know. 

"I'm not sure, kiddo, but if it's what I think it is, things around here are going to change and not for the better." 

~ O ~

Everyone except for Sarah, who was still on her solo hike was in the TV room playing _Call of Duty._ In an effort to better fit in with the kids, Jill asked if they would teach her how to play. Fred patiently explained to her how the controller worked and what each button did. At first, she wasn't very coordinated at using the joystick and ran into things. After some practice, she did improve enough that Chuck, Fred and Morgan were willing to play against another online team. Jill didn't do anything other than follow the other three players around. 

"Jill, try shooting at the enemy," Chuck said. Pointing to the button she should push, he said, "Push that button right there." 

"Okay," she nodded, looking completely overwhelmed by the whole gaming experience. 

The team moved forward again, scouting. An enemy player suddenly appeared and Chuck shouted, "Jill! Shoot him." 

Wanting to show her prowess, the punched the button repeatedly, just as she had seen the other players do. One of the players immediately dropped to the ground, dead. 

"I got him! I got him!" she cried happily. 

Chuck dragged a hand over his face and said, "Jill, that was me. You just shot me in the back of the head." 

The kids snickered which turned into fake coughs and gags when they received a disapproving stare from their uncle. 

"I'm so glad there's this thing called 'boarding school'," she mumbled under her breath. 

"Did you say something, Jill?" Chuck asked. 

She smiled sweetly at him. "No, Chuck, I was just thinking how wonderful it is playing with you and the children like this. Isn't it wonderful?" she cooed. 

Chuck smiled at her and replied, "It really is great spending time with the kids, isn't it?" 

The players switched out and Jill and Chuck sat off to the end of the couch, away from the game. 

"Have you had a chance to come to a decision about what we talked about last night, Chuck?" she asked, placing a hand on his knee. 

Nodding, he answered quietly, "I have, Jill. I would like to talk to you about it in private, though, so let's get together a little later, shall we?" 

Jill absolutely beamed. "Of course, Chuck," she said, winking at him. Leaning closer to him, "I'm looking forward to our little chat." 

Chuck smiled back. "Me too, Jill. Me too." 

~ O ~

Sarah walked for about an hour before she finally stopped and sat down on a large rock along the side of the path. For the first fifteen minutes, she nearly sprinted along the trail, trying to put as much physical distance as she could between her, Chuck, the children, everything. She needed to regain her equilibrium and sense of purpose and as long as she was around him, she couldn't think straight. 

The rock she sat on was not too far from an outdoor shooting range. The distant pop of weapons being discharged relaxed her, as shooting ranges always did. Smiling, she remembered the short vacation she was forced to take in between the mission at the abbey and coming here to Beaver Creek and how all she wanted to do was spend all day, every day at the shooting range. 

Having heard about this particular range, she looked it up on the internet to find out more about it. Apparently, it had been around for a long time and was an institution in the area. In addition to a regular shooting range they had skeet shooting as well. She had been tempted to go check it out, but had yet to find the time being so busy with the kids. Sighing, she wished she could go to the range now. Maybe it would have helped clear her head. 

(Sung to the tune "Sound of Music") 

The hills are alive with the sound of gunfire.   
That range has been here for a hundred years.  
 The range fills my heart with the sound of gunfire.   
My heart wants to know every shot it hears. 

My gun wants shoot at the birds made of clay that rise as they fly near the trees.  
 To blast them apart with the shot that flies through the air like a breeze.  
 To look at the smoke as swirls and lifts like a cloud on its way.   
To stop when it's night and shoot more when it turns into day. 

I go to the range when my heart is lonely.  
 I know I can blast like I'm in the Corps.  
 My heart will be blessed with the sound of gunfire.   
And I'll shoot once more. 

The funny thing was, she realized, was that the thought of going to the shooting range didn't make her feel better any more. It didn't soothe her soul like it used to. Things had changed for her, in her, and she wasn't the same person she was when she came to Beaver Creek. 

She blew out a breath, knowing that she could no longer avoid thinking about last night. It was all a blur now. She knew she needed to sort it all out in her mind before she could figure out how to finish out this mission without inflicting anymore emotional damage on Chuck, the kids or herself. 

The tango. The kiss. She put her fingers on her lips again, thinking about that sweet, amazing kiss. She actually had butterflies thinking about it now. It had been so gentle, so earnest, so loving. _He told me he loves me._ She had been told by men before that they loved her, but this was the first time she knew the man saying the words meant them. 

It scared and confused her. She'd never had feelings like this before. 

A cold gust of wind blew, causing her to shiver. She shook the long sleeves of her sweatshirt over her hands, pulled her legs up and hugged them against her chest. The weather in Colorado could change so quickly; last night was a beautiful warm fall evening and this afternoon the cold grey clouds were racing in. Rocking back and forth did nothing to ease the chill creeping over her, both on the inside and outside. 

The voice in her head asked her, _Are you in love with him?_

"I don't know!" she cried aloud to the trees around her. "I don't know," she said more quietly, a battle raging inside her mind. There were times when she and Chuck looked at each other-oh, she could hardly breathe. She shook her head, trying to clear her mind. But she was there to do a job, to protect him, not to fall in love with him. 

The Agency was always warning their agents to remain detached from their assets. Agents lose focus and assets can get hurt. 

Chuck had said something about that last night. " _But you've obviously been emotionally connected to the kids for a long time. How is that any different than now?_ " For the first time, she questioned the idea that had been pounded into her head for so long that it simply became the truth to her. 

She thought back to something Chuck had said the first night they met in his office, " _Attachments are what families are all about._ " Could she already be part of this family? She realized that, if anything, being attached to Chuck and the children made her more vigilant, more focused on their protection and well-being, not less. _I can care for the people I'm protecting and still do my job effectively._ She sat there, stunned at this epiphany. _So what does that mean for me now?_

Sitting on the rock, staring out at the shooting range below, she came to the conclusion that she had to go back to the house. Knowing now that she could both care for him and protect him, she had to find out what would happen if she quit fighting the feelings she had for him and faced them. Faced him. Maybe, when Project Sun Ray was finished and she left, it didn't have to be the end of whatever was between her and Chuck. Maybe there was a way they could still be… something. 

The invisible weights she had been dragging around with her all day suddenly lifted and she jumped down from the boulder and nearly ran up the path back toward the house. 

~ O ~

Sarah's return trip went much quicker and she was soon hurrying across the grass and climbing the stairs. Quietly slipping into the house, she stood in the living room for a moment, surprised at how still the place felt. The only sound she heard came from the TV room where she assumed that Chuck, Morgan, Casey and Curtis were watching the Broncos game. 

_Shoot! It's Sunday afternoon. I promised I would watch the game with Curtis._ She would have to apologize to him later. Right now, she needed to get to her room and get mentally prepared to be around Chuck and not have it be awkward. How she was going to accomplish that, she wasn't exactly sure. She reached the top of the stairs and turned to the left, toward her room. Fred and Lizzie's voices coming from his room pulled her from her musings. 

"She's changing everything!" Lizzie whispered angrily. 

Sarah's stopped just outside the mostly door and listened. _Are they talking about me?_

"I know," Fred replied. "She made Uncle Chuck order Chinese food for dinner tonight. We always order pizza when Mrs. Smith has the night off," he grumbled sotto voce. 

_Chinese food! I didn't do that. They must be talking about Jill._

Sarah could tell that Lizzie was pacing around the room. "And it's only going to get worse once she moves here." 

Sarah shot out her hand and placed it against the wall, leaning against it to steady herself. _She's moving here?_

"Nothing we've done has made her want to leave," Fred said, his frustration evident. 

"It doesn't matter, anyway," Lizzie replied. 

"What do you mean?" he asked slowly. 

Sarah held her breath during the interminable pause. 

Lizzie heaved a huge sigh and said dejectedly, "Uncle Chuck went and got Grandma's engagement ring out of the safe deposit box. That's why he had to go to the bank this morning." 

"How do you know that?" Fred hissed. 

"Megan was playing spy and followed Uncle Chuck around after he got home from the bank. She said she saw him looking at something inside a little red box." She waited for a second and then continued. "Uncle Chuck told me one time that he has Grandma's ring. He has Mom and Dad's rings in the safe deposit box, too." 

Sarah closed her eyes, trying to stop the spinning. Her hand on the wall was the only thing keeping her from completely losing her balance. She had already pieced together the conclusion Lizzie and Fred were rapidly coming to. 

Fred groaned. "Ms. Roberts is leaving tomorrow." 

"And Uncle Chuck is going to propose to her tonight before she leaves," Lizzie finished, desperation in her voice. 

"Should we say something to him? I mean, anyone can see Ms. Roberts is no Miss Sarah. Miss Sarah is perfect for him." 

Lizzie sighed again. "No, Miss Sarah told us to trust Uncle Chuck, remember? Besides, he's been taking care of us for so long, he deserves whatever makes him happy." 

"Grownups can be so dense sometimes," Fred complained. 

"I know," his sister agreed, "Mrs. Jill Bartowski! Ugh!" 

As an agent of the CIA, Sarah Walker had endured all kinds of physical pain. She'd been winged by bullets, beaten, tortured and cut in knife fights. The pain she felt from those injuries paled in comparison to the pain she felt right then. The dizziness increased as she continued to lean against the wall. Her stomach clenched and she put her free hand on her mouth to keep the gasp from escaping. 

There was no use standing there anymore. She wouldn't be able to hear another word they said since her ears were ringing so loudly. Pulling herself together, she walked to her room, closed the door, flopped down on the bed and curled into a ball. 

~ O ~

The Chinese food tasted like cardboard in Sarah's mouth. As much as she wanted to stay in her room and remain in the fetal position, she knew she had a job to do and come hell or high water, she was going to do it. 

Dinner conversations and laughter buzzed in her ears but she didn't comprehend anything that was going on around her. Casey had decided to stay for dinner, much to the children's delight. She sat quietly and ate a little of the food in front of her, pushing most of it around her plate with her chopsticks. Occasionally, she would look up from her food and glance around the room, trying to get into the flow of the conversations around her, but couldn't do it. 

More than once during dinner, she felt Chuck's gaze fall on her. Not knowing what might happen if she looked back at him, she kept her eyes resolutely on the food before her. 

What she didn't see was the concern for her on his face. She missed the glances between Chuck and the kids as they held a silent conversation of raised eyebrows, frowns, furrowed brows and shrugs. 

Finally, toward the end of dinner, Fred shot his uncle an angry look and then leaned close to Sarah and asked, his voice full of concern, "Miss Sarah? Are you okay? You're awfully quiet tonight." 

She gave him a weak smile. "I guess I'm just not very hungry tonight, Fred." 

"Well," Jill bubbled, "that just leaves more for the rest of us!" 

In Sarah's ears, Jill's voice was like fingernails on a chalkboard. She had to get away from this woman. Sarah stood suddenly and said to the kids, "I'm sorry kids, but I'm not feeling real well right now. I'm going to go upstairs and lay down for awhile, okay?" 

"Okay," the kids replied, looking at her worriedly. 

She felt Chuck's eyes follow her as she left the dining room. Avoiding his gaze, she, hurried upstairs and looked for solace in her room. She stayed there for about an hour, alternating between lying flat on her back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, peering out the window and pacing around the room. Nothing helped. The laughter and chatter she heard coming from the TV room only made her feel more isolated and unhappy. 

Being left out of the fun going on downstairs was more than she could take. She had to get out of the house, so she ventured down the stairs and went to the closet and grabbed her coat. The conversation stopped and worried eyes turned her direction. 

She smiled weakly at their concerned faces and said, "Don't worry, guys. I'm okay. I'm just going to go get from fresh air in the backyard. I'll be back in awhile." 

"Do you want any company?" Lizzie asked. 

Sarah shook her head and smiled at her, "No thanks, sweetie." 

Lizzie nodded with understanding. 

"John, will you be staying long?" she queried her partner. 

"Yeah, Mr. Bartowski invited me to watch tonight's football game," Casey replied. 

Sarah nodded her thanks and crossed the room, slipping out the back door and hurrying down the stairs. She might be out there awhile, but decided she would rather be cold than listen to the world of which she was no longer a part. 

~ O ~

The evening was winding down. Most of the kids had headed upstairs where the younger ones were getting ready for bed and the older were in their rooms finishing up homework before school the next day. Morgan and Casey were watching the late football game in the TV room, so Chuck decided it was a perfect time to Jill to talk. 

"Jill, I think it's time we had a little chat. Why don't we step out onto the balcony?" he asked. 

"Isn't it kind of cold out there?" she responded with a frown. 

"I'd like to go someplace where we won't be interrupted," Chuck said, taking both his and Jill's coats from the closet. 

Holding her coat out for her, he helped her on with it, which elicited a giggle and a response of, "Oh, Chuck. You're so _gallant!_ " 

He smiled and followed her as they stepped out onto the balcony. Feeling the cold, he put his hands in his pockets. There was an awkward silence as they both stood there looking out into the dark. His eyes found Sarah and followed her as she, her back to the house, aimlessly wandered around the yard. 

Jill looked at Chuck, down to Sarah and then back to Chuck. Clearing her throat, she prompted, "You wanted to talk to me about something?" 

Chuck sighed, tore his gaze from Sarah, and turned towards Jill. "I don't want you to move here, Jill." 

She was silent for a moment and then squealed, "Oh Chuck, are you moving back to California?" 

He couldn't stop the scowl that appeared. "Why would I do that?" 

"Well, for one thing, Colorado is just so," she stopped as if searching her brain, trying to come up with the right word, "remote. Chuck, this is 'flyover country.' If you – we – moved back to California, you could make so much more money than you do here." 

He shook his head, "Jill, I don't want to make more money." 

"Don't want to make more money!" she said, shocked. "I don't believe you. You're teasing me," she said with a playful slap to the arm. "Oh, and the parties we could go to. We would be the talk of the social scene." 

"Parties?" he asked, confused. "My first and most important priority is to take care of the kids. They love it here. I love it here. Sarah…" 

Jill's eyes narrowed. "The nanny? What does that sk… she have to do with it? You can get a new nanny out in California. They're a dime a dozen." 

Chuck quickly countered, "Not like Sarah. There's no one like Sarah. And she's more than a nanny. She's…" He trailed off, unwilling to say more. 

"Charles Irving Bartowski," Jill hissed, her face hardening, "I will not compete with the help for your affections! We were together at Stanford! We were in love!" 

"No, Jill," he cut her off, "I thought I knew what love was with you, but being part of this family showed me there was so much more. And then Sarah came. The kids love her and I lo–" 

"The kids, the kids!" she angrily interrupted. "Why do you care so much?" Her voice grew wilder, "Stick them in a boarding school somewhere. They're not even your kids!" 

Chuck's face turned to stone and his voice trembled as he fought to control his fury. "Jill, I brought you out here to politely tell you that I don't want you to move here. That what we had in the past is in the past. I've moved on and you need to do the same." He paused and took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "I was going to have you stay here tonight so we could drive you to the airport tomorrow, but after what you just said – the way you feel about my kids – you've made it impossible for me to be polite to you." His voice once again shook with rage. "I want you to pack up your things and leave now, tonight. I'll call for a car to drive you to a hotel near the airport. I'll book you a room." 

Jill put her hand on Chuck's arm and said, "Chuck, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it about the children. They're delightful and I'm sure if you give me another chance…" 

He shook her hand off his arm and said in a low voice, "There were no chances for us, Jill. It's time for you to go." 

He took his iPhone from his pocket, called a car service and then made reservations for her at a hotel near the airport. 

"The car will be here in thirty minutes. I suggest you go get your things together." He stared at her, hard. "Have a nice life, Jill," he said as he turned his back on her and looked back out over the backyard. 

With tears in her eyes, she said quietly, "You're not even going to help me get my things to the car?" 

Without turning around, he answered, "I'm sure Morgan and Casey can help you." Scanning the yard, his eyes fell on Sarah who was sitting alone on the bench near the gazebo. Not giving Jill a second glance he said, "I have something else I have to do right now." He stalked away, leaving her there to return to the house alone. 

~ O ~

Her hands shoved deep into the pockets of her jacket, Sarah wandered around the yard as a million thoughts swirled through her head. The one thought that kept repeating in her mind was her promise to Chuck that she would never leave him unprotected. And she wouldn't. But she knew she couldn't be the one to protect him anymore. She didn't care what Graham or Beckman were going to say when she told them she needed to be removed from this mission. Graham could fire her from the CIA for all she cared. There was no way on God's green earth that she was going to be in the same house with an engaged Chuck and Jill. Casey could take over or the agencies could bring in another agent, vetted by her, of course. Anything to get her out of there. 

A sob threatened when she thought about the kids. She didn't want to leave them, but she knew they would understand why she had to go. Maybe. Hopefully. Eventually. 

Tired of meandering around the yard, but not wanting to go back to the house, she sat down on the bench and put her hands between her knees to keep them warm. 

She was just thinking through her options and forming her exit strategy when the white twinkle lights still up from the party suddenly illuminated the world around her. Despite her current emotional state, she couldn't help the small smile that formed on her lips. Looking up at the lights, she had to admit it was a beautiful scene. 

She was still looking at the lights when she felt his presence. She wasn't surprised when she heard him say, "Hello," and step out from behind a tree. 

A lump formed in her throat. Here it comes. She sat looking at him, unable to speak. 

He stepped closer to her and indicated a place on the bench. "May I?" he asked. 

She nodded mutely at him and he sat down next to her. 

He stared straight out in front of him when he said, "You left the dinner table in a rush and then disappeared into your room. And now you're freezing yourself to death out here. Are you okay?" 

She wanted to lie and say everything was fine, but knowing that it wouldn't do any good, shook her head and answered, "No. Not really." 

He turned to face her, concern etched on his face. "Is there anything I can do?" 

She let out a wistful chuckle. "No, Chuck, there's nothing you can do." _Just say it, Walker._ Taking a deep breath, she blurted out, "Chuck, I'm going to have to leave you and the kids." 

"What!" he cried. "You… you said you wouldn't leave." His face grimaced with shock and pain. "Why?" he croaked. 

_Isn't it obvious?_ Biting back a hurtful retort, she sighed. She looked down at her hands and said quietly, "I heard about the engagement ring for Jill. I… I can't stay here with you married to…" The tears stung but was somehow able to look into his face and say, "I hope you two will be very happy, Chuck." 

Her brow furrowed when she watched his whole body relax and the corner of his lips curl in a small smile. 

_You don't have to look so happy about it._

"How did you find out about the ring?" he asked softly. 

"I overheard Lizzie and Fred talking about it," she informed him, looking away. 

Nodding, he simply replied, "Ah." 

They sat on the bench for another moment, both silently staring out toward the trees. It was torture for her, sitting there with him like that. Although she had nothing else to say, it seemed like he did, so she waited. 

Finally, he chuckled a little and said, "I guess you don't believe what I told you last night." 

She looked down at the grass at her feet. "I did, at first. Then I thought about how I told you last night I couldn't do anything about my feelings for you and I heard about the ring and you wanting to make sure you got it today, I just assumed…" 

He reached out and with his thumb and forefinger gently took her chin and turned her face toward his. Looking into her eyes, he said, "Sarah… how could I give a ring to Jill when I'm hopelessly in love with you?" 

Her breathing grew shallow and her mouth went as dry as the Sahara. "Wha-, what?" 

Still holding her chin, he said, "My sister once told me that if you ever love someone, you don't stop, you don't quit, you never go too far… I love you, Sarah. I want you here with me. Always." 

"What about Jill?" She was rattled and having a hard time keeping track of what was going on. 

"She's gone. I sent her away," he said simply. "She's my past." 

All of the old insecurities tumbled into her mind. She stood and turning her back to him, walked toward the gazebo. Embarrassed, she asked in a low voice, "But what about _my_ past? I haven't really told you…" 

Following closely behind her as she stepped to the center of the gazebo, he replied softly, "I don't care about your past. I only care about who you are now." He gently turned her around and looked into her eyes. "The real question is… Sarah, do you love me?" 

In a flash, the memories of all the different emotions she had felt in the last twenty-four hours washed over her. At the center of them all was Chuck: the excitement and confusion of when he told her he loved her, the joy of realizing she could share her feelings for him, the pain when she thought he was going to marry Jill, the heartache at the thought of having to leave him. 

Thinking back to the decision she made sitting on that boulder earlier in the day to not fight her feelings for him anymore, she gazed into his eyes and said, "Yes." Her fears disappeared. She smiled and happily confessed, "Yes, Chuck. I love you." 

A brilliant, glorious grin exploded on his face and she grinned back at him. He stepped closer and, wrapping his arms around her, pulled her into a deep kiss. Her arms immediately wrapped around his neck, attempting to draw him ever closer. His hand on her back pressed her to him, his other hand moved to her face and caressed her cheek. Unlike the brief and somewhat tentative kiss they shared after their dance the night before, this kiss was unguarded and full of promise. 

After a long moment, their lips parted, but they continued to cling to each other. Now that she felt his arms around her, the love, security, and passion that came from him, she couldn't let go. 

(Sung to the tune "Something Good" - **original lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II retained** ) 

Sarah:  
Perhaps I had a wicked childhood.   
Perhaps I had a miserable youth.   
But somewhere in my wicked miserable past   
There must have had a moment of truth. 

For here you are standing there  
 Loving me   
Whether or not you should. 

So somewhere in my youth  
 Or childhood  
 I must have done something good. 

Nothing comes from nothing.   
Nothing ever could.   
So somewhere in my youth or childhood  
 I must have done something good. 

They parted from their embrace and Chuck took her hands in his. He smiled and looked into her eyes. "Do you know when I first started loving you?" he asked. "That first morning you made breakfast for the kids," he chuckled. 

"What?" she laughed quietly. "I knew the first time you texted the kids on your phone." 

Chuck:  
Here you are standing there   
Loving me  
 Whether or not you should. 

Sarah:  
So somewhere in my youth or childhood  
 I must have done something good. 

Sarah and Chuck:  
Nothing comes from nothing.   
Nothing ever could. 

Sarah:  
So somewhere in my youth 

Chuck:  
or childhood 

Sarah:  
I must have done something 

Sarah and Chuck:  
Something good. 

They shared another kiss, this one filled with even more passion than the one before. 

"Sarah," he mumbled as he kissed her face. 

"Hmm," she hummed, loving the feeling of his lips against her skin. 

He pulled back a little and looked into her eyes. Suddenly, he seemed unsure of himself and he swallowed hard. "I know this might be moving too quickly for you, and I totally understand if it is, I mean we just now just – " 

"Chuck," she interrupted his babbling and searched his eyes. "What is it?" 

He took a deep breath and said, "I want to explain why I ran out to the bank this morning. I had to get the ring today. I couldn't wait any longer for you to understand how serious I am –" He stopped, reached into his pocket and pulled out the red ring box. Flipping it open, he continued, "about giving it to you." 

She gasped and looked at the beautiful ring in the box he held. For about the tenth time in the last twenty-four hours, she was both dizzy and speechless. 

Taking her silence as a bad sign, he tensed and rambled, "I'm sorry, Sarah. It's too soon. I'm sorry I –" 

She swiftly kissed him to stop his tumble of words. "No, Chuck. It's not too soon." She looked shyly into his face and prompted him, "Are you just teasing me with this ring or are you going to ask me a question?" 

He relaxed as he smiled. With one hand he held the ring and with the other he took her hand. His eyes shone and his voice was steady when he said, "Sarah Walker, will you marry me?" 

She loved this man more than anything else in the world. In her heart, she knew she could never leave him, no matter what the circumstances. There was only one answer. "Yes," she said simply. 

Chuck smiled and let out a happy, teary sob. He blinked once, dropped her hand and lifted the ring from the box. He took her left hand and slipped the ring on her finger. It fit perfectly. 

Sarah looked down to admire the ring, only to realize her vision was completely blurred by her tears of happiness. She laughed and blinked so that the tears escaped and rolled down her cheeks. Tipping her face up, he kissed tear stained cheeks and then found her lips again. 

After a few more minutes of standing in each other's embrace, Chuck took Sarah's hand and led her out of the gazebo. They both smiled when they saw snow lightly falling from the sky. Strolling across the grass, they hear a rumble of thunder in the distance. 

"That's odd," she said. "I thought I just heard thunder." 

He chuckled, "Yeah, it's pretty rare, but it happens. It's called 'thundersnow.'" 

"I like it," she stated. 

He chuckled again and pulled her to him so that they walked with his arm over her shoulders. She slipped an arm under his jacket and around his waist. The snow fell silently around them, dusting the grass with a thin, white blanket. 

"Sarah… I have seven children… I want them to stay with us…" 

Sarah stopped and faced him, a puzzled look on her face. "Where else would they stay, Chuck? They're our kids." 

His answering grin left her breathless and lightheaded. _Oh, Lord. Note to self: Make sure he smiles at me like that at least once a day for the rest of my life._

They continued walking, she pushing him with her side so that they walked together at a diagonal. "You know how much I love those kids. Our kids. The thought of having to leave them was as awful as the thought of leaving you." 

He kissed her temple. "They _are_ pretty possessive of you. Maybe I should have asked their permission to marry you," he chuckled. 

"What if they said no?" 

This time it was his turn to push her so that they walked in a diagonal back toward the stairs. "That would never have happened." They reached the bottom of the steps where he stopped and kissed her again. "They love you as much as I do." His words touched her soul when he said, "You complete our family, Sarah." 

Reaching up, she brushed the snow from his hair. "You're the family I always dreamed of having." 

He took her hand and they climbed the stairs. They stopped at the door to the house and he said as he leaned in to kiss her again, "Well then we're a perfect fit, aren't we." 

"Yes, we are." 

They walked hand-in-hand into the house which was mostly dark and very quiet. Together they came to the TV room where they found Morgan and Casey still watching the football game. 

They glanced up at Chuck and Sarah, noticing the snow on their heads and jackets. 

"Snow?" Morgan asked. "I thought I heard thunder, too." 

"It's pretty cool," Chuck replied. "Thundersnow." 

Morgan nodded and then glanced at their held hands and grinning faces. "Cool, dude." 

Casey immediately noticed the ring on Sarah's finger but said nothing. He simply stood and said, "Now that you're back, Miss Sarah, I'm outta here. The kids are all in bed." 

Sarah dropped Chuck's hand, went to Casey and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you for everything, John." 

"You're welcome," he quietly mumbled so only she could hear. 

"And I'm happy for you and the nerd, Walker." Embarrassed, he nodded at Chuck and Morgan and stalked out of the room. 

Sarah returned back to her place next to Chuck and took his hand again. 

"Is Jill gone?" Chuck asked Morgan. 

"Yup," he answered simply. "Packed up and left a few minutes ago. I think she stole the towels from the bathroom, though." Grabbing the remote and clicking off the TV, Morgan stood and said, "I'm off to bed." He paused and smiled, "Congrats you two." 

Sarah felt Chuck squeeze her hand. "Thanks, Morgan," they replied together. 

The three of them left the TV room together. Morgan headed for the basement door and Chuck and Sarah climbed the stairs together toward their rooms. They reached the top, still holding tightly to each other's hands. For so many nights they had ascended the staircase together where at the top he would turn one way and she would turn the other. Tonight, without hesitation, she turned left with him and walked down the hall. Without a glance, they passed the room where her things were and entered his bedroom together. The door closed silently behind them. 

~ O ~

Wearing Chuck's white dress shirt, she quietly turned the doorknob, opened the door and stepped into the hall. Carefully closing the door behind her, she turned and started back toward her room. She had only taken two steps when she stopped suddenly and was confronted by an extremely curious Megan. 

"Whatcha doing in Uncle Chuck's room, Miss Sarah?" she whispered loudly. 

"Um... He was scared of the thunderstorm and I...ah...gave him one of his favorite things."


	11. Chapter 11

The alarm on her nightstand beeped incessantly, invading her brain and ending her all too short night of sleep. She smiled, though, as she was not complaining. Sarah rolled over onto her side and reached out to whack it and turn the disturbance off. Rather than hitting the clock, her fingers encountered a hand which had just switched off the alarm. It only took her a split second to realize whose hand it was she was touching. She smiled even wider and said without opening her eyes, "Good morning, Chuck." 

He knelt at the side of her bed, one hand on the alarm clock, the other gently brushing the hair away from her face. His voice was still raspy and deep from sleep when he replied quietly, "Good morning, Sarah." He reached down and picked up a mug from the floor and held it in front of her nose. "Do you know how long I've wanted to bring morning coffee to you in your room?" 

_Is this really happening, or am I dreaming?_ She took in a deep breath, letting the aroma of the coffee invade her senses. Opening her eyes, she watched him place the mug on the nightstand and lower his face right in front of hers. With an outstretched hand, she gently touched his face. "Do you know how long I've wanted to reach out and touch your morning scruff?" 

She felt his face smile under her palm. "Was it all you hoped it would be?" 

"More," she answered, hardly able to breathe as she ran her thumb along the stubble on his jaw. He leaned forward and kissed her lips softly, her hand never leaving his face. 

"I'm going to need that shirt back," he deadpanned. 

She flashed him a wicked smile and started to unbutton one of the buttons. "You want it back now?" 

He made a rumbling noise deep in his chest. "Yes, I do. More than you know. But it's Monday morning and we need to get the kids off to school." 

"Mm-hmm," she hummed, wrapping her arm around his neck. 

"You're not making this easy," he replied, giving her a quick kiss. 

"Uh-uh," she mumbled. 

He glanced over at the clock and sighed. She groaned when he pulled back. "The kids will be up soon." He took her hand and kissed the top of it. "Maybe we can continue this discussion later?" 

She nodded and sat up. "This isn't a dream, is it?" she asked him seriously, looking down at the ring on her finger. It all seemed so surreal. Was she really engaged to be married to her asset? An asset with seven children? _What's Graham going to say?_

He sat down on the side of her bed, his face filled with concern. He swallowed hard and asked tentatively, "Are you hoping that it is a dream? That you'll wake up and be back in DC? I mean, what does all this mean for your job?" 

The very thought of being back in DC made her stomach lurch. "Oh, no, Chuck! No!" She hugged him and whispered into his ear, "Chuck, I love you and I'm never leaving you." She pulled away and looked into his eyes. "As for my job, trust me. We'll work it out." She looked down at the ring again and said, "I was asking to make sure this isn't a dream…because I'd be heartbroken if this wasn't real." 

He relaxed and hugged her close. "I promise you, it's real," he said tenderly. "And we have seven very real kids to get to school this morning," he said as he stood. She swung her legs out from under the covers. Taking her hands, he pulled her up from her bed and kissed her forehead before he left her room and went back to his own. She smiled, took the mug from the nightstand and sipped the wonderfully strong brew. _What a great way to start the day._

~ O ~

It had been a crazy weekend and the kids were a bit bleary eyed as they made their way through their morning routines. 

"Miss Sarah," Bridget started, eating some cereal at the kitchen table, "are you okay this morning? You weren't feeling very well last night." 

Glancing up from dropping sandwiches into lunch bags, Sarah smiled at her and said, "I'm feeling much better now, Bridget. Thank you." She couldn't help but beam at Chuck when he winked back at her. 

Lizzie and Fred didn't see the wink because they were too busy either staring angrily at their plates in front of them, or shooting the stink eye at Chuck, who pretended not to notice the glares. He suppressed a grin as he helped put the lunches together and asked, "Lizzie, Fred, I signed those consent forms for that field trip to the Denver Art Museum. Did you see them?" vThey both shot angry glares at him. Lizzie grunted and Fred grumbled, "Yes, sir." Lizzie glanced at Sarah's left hand and scowled. 

Lisa, who didn't know most of the details that Lizzie and Fred did, watched the whole scene before her with narrowed eyes as she munched on a piece of toast. The tension that had been so obvious between Chuck and Sarah since the kiss they had all witnessed at the party was now gone. Clearly, Lizzie and Fred were angry for some reason. Wanting to move the conversation forward, she asked, "Uncle Chuck, are you taking Ms. Roberts to the airport today?" 

He moved down the row of lunch bags, folding closed the tops of each. Never halting from his work, he said, "Um, no." 

All seven children stopped what they were doing and looked at him, wide-eyed with concern. 

"I'm sure you're all very disappointed that you didn't get a chance to say good-bye to her, but she left last night," he said with as serious a voice as he could muster. 

They still didn't move as there was one more question that needed to be asked. Lizzie and Fred glanced at each other, completely confused. Lisa finally spoke up, "Is she coming back?" 

This time, Chuck stopped his work and replied seriously, "No. She's never coming back." 

Deep breaths and sighs were heard all around. 

Sarah couldn't help but sigh herself. Just hearing him say the words made her feel better. Smiling, she said, "Okay, that's enough news for this morning. We've got to get going soon. Upstairs and brush your teeth. Let's go." 

The kids obediently marched out of the kitchen and up to their rooms to finish getting ready. Now alone, Chuck took Sarah's left hand in his and looked for the ring. He frowned a little and with a confused look asked, "Where's the ring?" 

She patted her left front pocket of her jeans. "I knew if the kids saw it this morning they would have a million questions and we'd never get them to school, so I took it off, just until we tell them. Is that okay?" She searched his eyes, hoping she hadn't hurt his feelings. 

He smiled and gave her a hug. "Of course. I should have thought of it myself. Having it on might have helped me with Lizzie and Fred, though. Did you see the looks they were giving me?" He chuckled. "I don't think they were this mad at me when I grounded them from playing video games. See Sarah? The kids love you more than video games!" 

"I'm honored," she replied drily, her attempt at sarcasm spoiled by her giggles. 

He tried to look hurt. "Hey, in this house, that's a big deal!" Growing serious, he added, "Though those two should have had the sense to come to me if they had issues." 

"Don't sell Lizzie and Fred short. For a while, I thought they were smarter than their uncle." 

"Oh?" he quirked an inquiring eyebrow at her. 

"Mm-hmm. I heard them talking in Fred's room yesterday afternoon." She gave him a smug grin. "They said I was perfect for you." 

He laughed delightedly, "They did, did they? Well it seems I should be taking all my future dating advice from them." 

"Chuck Bartowski!" she spluttered. "You… you…" 

"Sarah Walker… Bartowski?" she gave him a happy nod, "I guess you'll be wanting exclusive rights to these dates?" 

"Seeing that I never got one date out of you _before_ you proposed, I better have exclusive rights to these dates _after._ " 

He grinned and gave her a hug. "For the rest of my life," he promised. Releasing her, he took her hand and pulled her from the kitchen toward the garage. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and whispered in her ear, "Let's tell them after school. I hate seeing your finger naked." 

She leaned back, an eyebrow arched. 

He murmured, "For the record, that's the only part of you I don't like seeing naked." 

She shuddered and suddenly had a difficult time remembering anything other than the night before. Still at the bottom of the staircase, she stood motionless with a glazed look on her face as the kids thundered down the stairs and swept around her like water rushing around a boulder in the middle of a river. They piled into the van as Chuck took her hand again and led her toward the garage. Grabbing the keys from the key rack fastened to the wall by the door, he chuckled and said, "I think I'd better drive this morning." 

~ O ~

Sarah watched Chuck as he texted Morgan to let him know that they had stopped at the coffee shop after dropping the kids off at school and would be back with Megan before lunch. 

So far, they had enjoyed a wonderful morning together, but Sarah noticed when Chuck grew pensive. 

They held hands across the table. "Chuck, what's bothering you?" she asked gently. 

He shook his head and gave her half a smile. "I hated waking up to an empty bed this morning." 

She sighed loudly. "I'm sorry I left. I didn't want to and it wasn't an easy thing to do." She shrugged. "But I did it for the kids - and for you." She rubbed his thumb with hers. "I remembered your reaction when Jill tried to sneak into your room that first night. You thought it was inappropriate with the kids in the house." 

He wiggled his eyebrows. "It was inappropriate for Jill. I don't do 'booty calls'. Never have. But you're my _fiancée._ " A happy grin split his face when said the last word. "So, to be really clear, you can sneak into my room anytime you want." 

"I'll keep that in mind," she chuckled, eyeing him slyly. "Seriously, though, I wanted to be sensitive to them and not confuse them or anything, especially since they don't know about us yet." She sighed again. "Besides, what if one of them comes looking for me in the middle of the night and I'm not in my room?" 

He shrugged and matched her sigh. "You're right. I'm just being selfish." He blushed and asked, "Is that so wrong?" 

Smiling, she answered, "No, not at all." She paused, "But Megan caught me sneaking out of your room last night." 

His eyes grew wide. "She did? What happened?" 

"I put her back to bed and told her she can't creep around at night anymore." 

He shook his head at Megan's antics. Changing the subject, he popped an eyebrow at her. "So, isn't there a wedding we need to discuss? When should it happen?" 

Pulling her hands from his she took her mug and sipped her coffee. She mulled the question over in her mind and then answered, "Why wait? The sooner the better, don't you think?" 

Chuck's face broke out into a huge grin. "I was thinking the same thing. We already live under the same roof. Let's do this as soon as possible, but still have it be more than just a quick ceremony at the courthouse." 

She nodded, looking slightly uncomfortable. 

"What, Sarah? Did I say something wrong?" 

"No! No. It's just…" she paused, embarrassed by her coming confession, "I've never thought about what I wanted my wedding to be like." 

He swallowed a sip of coffee and said, "Really? I thought that was one of those things every girl thinks about." 

She shrugged. "I guess deep down I figured it would never happen to me." 

He nearly did a spit take. "What?" he laughed incredulously. "You? You didn't think you would ever get married?" 

"My background and occupation always made me think marriage wasn't in the cards for me," she replied quietly. 

He sobered quickly, seeing the serious look on her face. "What changed that?" 

"You," she said simply. "You don't care about my past or my job. You've shown me I'm more than that, and that there's more to life." 

Her eyes burned when she saw the tears welling in his own as he raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. 

He cleared his throat and said, "Okay, back to this wedding you keep bringing up," he teased. He raised a hand to stop her from speaking. "I heard what you just said, Sarah. You've never thought about it before. No problem. I have a solution. I'll ask you some questions, and you give me quick answers, right off the top of your head, okay?" 

Amused, she eyed him and then gave him a quick nod. "Okay." 

"You ready?" he smiled encouragingly at her. 

She drew in a breath and blew it out quickly. "Ready." 

"Indoor or outdoor," he asked. 

"Outdoor," she answered immediately. 

"Beach or mountain?" 

"Mountain." 

"Big or small?" 

She grimaced, "Small. Definitely small." 

"Afternoon or evening?" 

"Sunset." 

He paused and grinned. "Ah, specificity. Interesting." 

She shot him an amused glare. "Just keep going." 

He chuckled and said, "Long dress or short?" 

"Long, but no train." 

His eyes danced. "Of course no train, 'Miss I-Don't-Know-What-I-Want-At-My-Wedding.'" 

She smirked and said, "Are we done, 'Mister Know-It-All?'" 

"Almost. Black or grey?" 

"Black." 

"Prime rib or barbeque?" 

"Oooo," she hesitated and thought hard. "Barbeque." 

"Roses or tulips?" 

"Gardenias." 

He smirked. 

"Rocks or grass?" 

She looked confused. "Grass." 

"Chocolate or vanilla." 

"Chocolate." 

"Three months or three weeks?" 

"Three weeks." 

"Favorite color?" 

"Blue." 

He leaned back in his chair and said, "Done. We just planned our wedding." 

Her jaw dropped. "What?" 

Placing his elbows on the table, he leaned close to her and recited, "Three weeks from this Saturday we will have a small wedding in the backyard at sunset. You will wear a long wedding dress with no train and I will wear a black suit. The bridesmaids will wear blue and the flowers will be gardenias. We'll have barbeque at the reception with a chocolate wedding cake." 

She still sat, shocked that they had just figured out everything. Well, as much as they could figure out right then anyway. "So this is going to be a genuine, traditional wedding," she said, her voice filled with wonder. 

He looked surprised. "Isn't that what you want?" 

"Mm-hmm," she murmured, still having a hard time believing this was all real. "But like I said before, I didn't think this would ever happen for me. The white dress, the flowers, a cake. It's all so conventional and if anything, my life has never been that." 

He smiled, "Well, then it's time for you to join us in the world of tradition." 

She was quiet for a moment and then said shyly, "I'd like to move back to my old room, the one next to Martie and Megan." 

His eyebrows shot up. "Why?" 

She smirked. "Well, for one thing, it's awfully tempting to never be in _my_ room when I know _you_ are just on the other side of my wall." 

A happy smile grew on his face. 

"And," she shrugged, "I'd kind of like to try the whole 'tradition' thing and not completely move into your room before we get married. I've never done anything normal before. I like the old fashioned idea of us moving in together after the wedding." 

He thought for a moment and then asked, "Does that mean we can't be together at all before we get married?" 

She shook her head emphatically. "No," she answered quickly. He grinned at her quick response. "It just means we have to be smart." She looked down into her mug and said, "I don't think I should stay the night in your room until after the wedding, though." 

"I can live that that," he replied. "I'll take any time I can get with you whenever I can." 

She let out a relieved breath. 

He looked down at his watch and said, "We have about an hour and a half before we have to go get Megan." Standing suddenly, he offered his hand which she took. Pulling her out of her chair and into his arms, he pronounced, "There's a flower shop and bakery here in the village. We can get those two things done before we leave, right?" 

They left the coffee shop and headed out to take care of the flowers first. As they walked, they decided that since there would be only a fairly small number of guests and the wedding was so soon, they would forego traditional invitations simply send out e-mails and texts. Once at the flower shop, the consultant typed furiously on her computer as she searched for a vendor who could supply her with plenty of gardenias. A relieved smile appeared on her face when she found one in Denver who could get her as many as she needed. The woman was even more relieved when Chuck told her to do whatever it took to get them since cost was not a consideration. 

His plan for getting two things done in one day proved to be overly ambitious since their time at the flower shop took longer than they anticipated, so they promised each other they would go to the bakery the next day to pick out the cake. 

When they returned to the house with Megan, they found Morgan and Casey playing _Call of Duty._

Casey paused the game and stood as the three entered the TV room. Still playing the personal assistant, Casey said, "Sir, there has been a request by your contractor for a video conference in your office in fifteen minutes. I think it would be best if you, Miss Sarah and I went into your office to prepare for that meeting." 

Morgan looked surprised. "They want the nanny in the meeting?" 

"Well, of course," Sarah answered quickly. "The company that contracted Chuck to work for them hired me to take care of the kids while he develops their software. We're all part of, ah, Team Bartowski." 

Chuck grinned at the name as Casey grunted and rolled his eyes. 

"Morgan, it would be a huge help if you could get Megan's lunch for her today," Chuck said. Hearing her name, the little girl ran and jumped up into Morgan's arms. "You can help me with my homework, too, Uncle Morgan," she informed him. 

"Homework? I'm not sure I'm smart enough to help you with your homework. It might be too hard," he said, poker-faced. 

She giggled. "All I have to do is color the triangles blue, the rectangles red, the circles yellow and the squares green." 

"Boy, I don't know," he sighed. "That sounds pretty hard." 

"Oh, Uncle Morgan!" she laughed. "You're silly." 

He tickled her once and then said, "So, munchkin, chicken nuggets or PB & J today?" 

"Chicken nuggets!" she shouted enthusiastically as he carried her out of the room toward the kitchen. 

Concerned, Sarah turned to Casey and asked, "They want a video conference with the three of us? Why?" 

"I gave them my report about the party." He amended his answer when he saw the slight looks of unease cross their faces. "Just the particulars about the mole, or lack thereof." 

Sarah grimaced. "I haven't given them my report yet. Crap," she mumbled under her breath. 

Casey nodded. "Yeah, they mentioned that." 

She closed her eyes and pressed her fingers to her eyebrows, trying to figure out what to say to Beckman and Graham about all that had happened in the last two days. _I'll have to figure that out as we go along._

"Chuck, could you go set things up for the video conference? I'd like to speak with Casey for a minute." 

He looked a little surprised, but then nodded and left the room for his office. 

She watched Chuck depart and then turned to Casey. Peering into his eyes, she said, "You didn't mention anything about Chuck and me in your report. How come? And why haven't you tried to put a stop to us getting together?" 

Never changing his expression or his posture, he replied, "The day I met you in Graham's office, I saw that you were all about the job. After that meeting, I looked through your file. Graham's golden girl. No nonsense. No prisoners… No family. No friends outside the agency." 

She flinched, hearing the accurate description of herself. 

"But then you came here. Bartowski and the kids…" He shrugged and in his eyes, she saw a brief flash of uncharacteristic melancholy. He was silent for a moment and she wondered if he would continue. Finally, he said, "I had a chance for something like that once and gave it up for the job. Don't regret it much - don't think I'm cut out for a wife and the two point five. But you, you belong here. Chuck's a good man. He loves you for being you. People like us don't get to have that very often. You're a great agent, Sarah, one of the best and most dedicated I've ever worked with. But don't let the job stand in the way of you being a person, too." 

Tears stung her eyes at his moving words. Unable to speak, she placed a hand on his arm and nodded, giving him a grateful smile. 

He nodded curtly and said, "Let's go see what the brass wants." With that, they left the TV room and filed into Chuck's office. Casey closed and locked the door behind them. Chuck had finished up making the video connections and soon they saw on the monitor General Beckman sitting at her desk with Graham behind her, leaning over her shoulder to be seen. The three stood in front of Chuck's webcam with Chuck in the middle, Sarah on his left and Casey on his right. 

"Major Casey, Agent Walker, Mr. Bartowski," the general began, "it's nice to see you." 

"Hello, General, Director," they replied in unison. 

"Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to meet with us," the director added with a hint of sarcasm. 

Sarah tensed at the director's barb. _He's jumping right in, isn't he?_ "I'm sorry, Director, but it's been a busy weekend here and I apologize for not submitting my report yet. I'll be sure to forward it to you today." 

Graham scowled. "See that you do." His scowl remained as he said, "Agent Walker, I must confess that I'm a little surprised at the way you've handled this mission. You've been there for almost two months and you have no leads on the mole and Project Sun Ray is not finished. There seems to be no movement on either front. Not what I expected from my best agent." 

Sarah's irritation level began to rise as she silently took the director's verbal blows. 

"If I may, Director Graham, I would just like to say that I wouldn't be as far along as I am with Project Sun Ray if it wasn't for Sar-, Agent Walker's dedication to helping with and protecting the children," Chuck said. 

"That's all well and good, Mr. Bartowski, but your protection is her top priority. She and Major Casey convinced us to put you in danger to try to flush out the Fulcrum agent. You were put at unnecessary risk for no reason since the mole never made a move." 

Sarah remained silent but cut her eyes to Chuck. He was obviously growing angry at the way Graham was speaking about her. "It was a risk I was willing to take. I trust these two with my life. You should know I was protected the whole time, Director, and never once felt like I was in danger. Either Agent Walker or Major Casey was with me the whole evening." 

Graham grunted, unmoved by Chuck's pronouncements. 

Picking up the thread of inquiry, General Beckman glanced down at the open file on her desk and asked, "What about Jill Roberts and Morgan Grimes?" She looked at them over her half glasses. "Are they still in residence?" 

Sarah finally spoke up again. "Ms. Roberts left last night to return to New York. She is no longer an issue. Mr. Grimes is still here, yes, General." 

"You see, Agent Walker, this is exactly what I'm talking about!" the director said loudly. "Nothing but security risks and distractions. You can't tell me their presence at the house these last two weeks wasn't a distraction to Mr. Bartowski." 

"It might have been," Sarah admitted, "but I made a decision as team lead to let them stay. I felt that Mr. Bartowski, who has been nothing but cooperative with us, deserved to have his friends stay here for a couple of weeks." 

"That decision, right there, Agent Walker," the director pointed angrily at her, "makes me think that you are not as concerned with Mr. Bartowski's security as you should be. That decision has led to a host of security risks culminating in a party that dangled him like bait." 

Sarah swallowed her anger but remained silent. _How dare he think I don't care about protecting Chuck._

Casey cleared his throat and said, "If I may, Director. I was on board with Agent Walker's plan to flush out the Fulcrum agent. We did nothing without your permission." 

"Yes, well, it didn't work, did it?" the director argued. He looked directly into the camera and said, "I've read over your report and it seems you were guarding Mr. Bartowski while Agent Walker was with the children. She also chose to stay with them while Mr. Bartowski went to Denver. And it appears she's dragging the asset along on day trips no doubt arranged for the children's benefit. Agent Walker, based on the decisions you've made as team lead of this mission, I have little confidence that _Mr. Bartowski's_ protection is your top priority." 

Chuck's office crackled with tension. Sarah clenched her jaw, but continued to remain silent, staring at Director Graham's visage on the screen. 

"Is there anything you can say or do that will change my mind, Agent?" he challenged her. 

A thousand thoughts rolled around in her mind. Finally, she did the only thing that made sense to her. She reached out, grabbed a handful of Chuck's shirt, yanked him to her and gave him a mind-blowing, toe-curling kiss. Caught completely by surprise, Chuck didn't even have time to react before she began running her fingers through his hair while pressing against him even closer. Finally, when she was running out of oxygen, she broke off the liplock. She couldn't help but smile at his stunned and thoroughly kissed face. Turning back to the monitor, she saw Graham and Beckman, mouths hanging open. 

"Is that convincing enough for you, sir?" she asked, glaring at Graham. 

Other than a glint in his eye, Casey's face remained stoic. 

It took a moment for Director Graham to gather himself enough to respond. "I see Agent Walker," he said testily. "Your relationship with the asset has become more than professional." 

The general chimed in, "Speaking of the asset, Major Casey can you please bring Mr. Bartowski back from wherever he's wandered off to?" 

Casey glanced at Chuck and saw a dopey grin on his face and a far off look in his eyes, like someone had mixed a Prozac into his morning oatmeal. "Focus, moron," he muttered, giving his charge a not-so-subtle kick to a shin. 

Chuck jumped and was about to reply when the Director cut in, "Again, Agent Walker. Your relationship with the asset has become more than professional." 

She grabbed Chuck's hand and took a step to the right to stand closer to him. "Yes, sir," she replied without a hint of guile. 

"You admit to being compromised with Mr. Bartowski?" the general asked. 

"Utterly and completely," Sarah responded, turning her head and smiling at Chuck who happily smiled back at her. 

Beckman groaned and pulled off her glasses. She dropped them on her desk, closed her eyes and ran a hand over her face. 

"Agent Walker," the director asked wearily, "what does the Agency say about agents becoming emotionally involved with their assets?" 

"Agents must not become emotionally involved with their assets because it causes them to lose focus and puts the asset at risk," she recited. Defiantly, she added, "With all due respect, sir, this mission has taught me that that kind of thinking is a load of crap. If anything, because I care so deeply about Chuck and his kids, I'll do anything and everything within my power to keep them safe." 

"I don't care what you've learned, Agent Walker. You know that since you are now compromised, you must be removed from this mission and replaced by another agent," Graham stated. 

Sarah felt Chuck's hand squeeze hers. "Director, Sarah's not going anywhere." 

Graham shot Chuck an irritated look. "I'm sorry, Mr. Bartowski, but I don't believe you have any say in this matter." 

"I'm sorry, sir, but I believe I do," Chuck said in a level voice. "I can't work on Project Sun Ray without Sarah being here." 

"And why is that, Mr. Bartowski?" Beckman asked with a defeated sigh. 

"Because I've asked Sarah to marry me and she said 'yes.' How am I supposed to work without my wife here with me?" 

Sarah gently extricated her hand from Chuck's, stuck it into her pocket and pulled out her engagement ring. She grinned at him while she slipped it on her finger. She then held her hand up and waggled her fingers in front of the camera, making sure the ring caught the light. 

Beckman let out a choking sound and dropped her head onto her folded arms laying across her desk. 

Graham's face twisted with confusion and exasperation. "What is the meaning of this?" he sputtered. 

"It means, Director, that I'm going to marry Chuck and live here with him and his seven wonderful children," she replied, her voice full of certainty. "And I'm going to do it with or without your permission. And no matter what, I will _always_ be here to protect them." 

The general raised her head from her desk. "Major Casey, why didn't you say anything about this in your report?" 

He stood up straight and said, "I don't get involved in other people's personal lives, ma'am." 

Beckman snorted and gave him a rueful look of approval. "Very good, John." 

Graham sighed and said nothing for a moment. The tension in the room was palpable as they waited for him to speak. "Very well, Agent Walker. It seems that your commitment to this mission goes hand-in-hand, no pun intended, with your commitment to Mr. Bartowski. Project Sun Ray is far too important for anything to get in the way of its completion." He looked at Chuck pointedly and said, "And it will be completed." 

"Yes, sir. Soon, I promise." 

"See to it," Graham ordered. "And make sure that any wedding business doesn't interfere with Mr. Bartowski's work," he said to Sarah. 

Sarah worked to keep her excitement under control. "No, sir. It won't. I'll personally make sure of it." 

"I bet you will," the general snickered. 

Graham moved his face closer to the camera and said, "Understand this, though, Agent Walker. If and when you do marry Mr. Bartowski, we will have no choice but to reevaluate your status with the Agency when this mission is over." 

She nodded and said, "Yes, sir. I understand." 

"And, knowing this, you are still going to marry Mr. Bartowski despite the fact that you may no longer be an agent with us when this mission is completed?" the director asked. 

"Yes, sir, I am," she replied simply. 

"Very well. Your mission objectives have not changed, Agent Walker," the director said stoically. 

"Yes, sir," she answered quickly. 

"Nor has yours, Major Casey," the general added. 

Sarah thought she heard the slightest bit of amusement in the general's voice. 

"Keep us apprised," the director said and then unceremoniously cut the video feed. The sound, however, stayed on long enough for the three of them to hear him grumble, "What are you chuckling about, Diane?" 

As Chuck and Sarah relaxed, Casey grunted, "I'm hungry. I'm gonna go see if there are any chicken nuggets left." He unlocked the door and headed for the kitchen. 

Chuck immediately turned to Sarah. "Did you hear that? They might fire you from the CIA if you marry me. Are you sure you're willing to give up – " 

"Chuck," she said, cutting him off with a smile on her lips and a gleam in her eye. "Shut up and kiss me." 

He grinned, pulled her to him and, before giving her a thorough and passionate kiss, whispered, "I think I'm going to like being married to you." 

~ O ~

After the meeting with Graham and Beckman, Sarah once again removed the ring and slipped it back into her pocket. Megan regaled them with tales of the hotbed of intrigue that was her kindergarten class while Casey, Sarah and Chuck ate lunch. Wanting to show Graham that their engagement had no ill effects on his work, Chuck returned to his office. Casey and Morgan went back to _Call of Duty_ with Megan as their spotter. Sarah sat in the living room and worked on the report she promised Graham. She finished and sent it off just as it became time for her to go pick up the rest of the kids from school. 

She knocked on Chuck's office door and said through it, "Chuck, I'm going to go pick up the kids. I'll be back in awhile." She expected him to give her a muffled "okay" but instead, the door flew open. 

"I want to come with you," he said. 

"Nope. You have to stay and work," she replied with conviction. "Casey's here to guard you." 

"Awww!" he grumped. "Okay." He brightened. "Can we tell the kids about us as soon as they get home?" 

_How adorable is he?_ "Yes, but we may have to wait until after they've had their afternoon snack." 

He said in a mock serious tone, "Yes, snackage is important. Okay, after." 

She gave him a quick kiss and said, "I'll be back in less than an hour." 

~ O ~

It was a little under an hour when Sarah returned to the house with six hungry and tired students. They piled their backpacks and books on the floor and headed straight for the kitchen to grab anything they could find to eat. 

Hearing the stampede of kids coming into the house, Chuck came out of his office and sought out Sarah. He pulled her off to the side and whispered, "I need the ring." 

She frowned. "No. You gave it to me. Now it's mine and I won't give it back. My ring, my fiancé, my kids, my family…" she trailed off, her face a study in wonderment. 

He paused a moment and then snickered, "Wow, Sarah. Possessive much? Although if you start to mumble 'my precious, my precious,' I'm going to start to worry." 

"My precious? Why would I ever mumble that?" 

"Honey… It's a reference to _Lord of the_ … Oh, I love you." He received a warm, but puzzled smile. "But trust me, okay? I'll give it back at the perfect time." Seeing the resolute look on her face, he bounced his eyebrows and whispered, "Am I going to have to tickle you into submission again." 

She cocked an eyebrow, "Again?" She shook her head. "I'll have you know I didn't submit last time. We were interrupted as I recall." She waited a beat and then whispered into his ear, "Later." 

He made a funny, burbling noise. 

She reached into her pocket, took the ring and pressed it into his hand. "I'm not kidding, Chuck. I really don't want to give it to you, but I will. You'd better give it back and soon." 

"Really soon. I promise," he answered seriously. His eyes bored into hers. 

She blinked once and nodded. 

After slipping the ring onto his pinkie finger where it stopped at his knuckle and then shoving his hand deep into the pocket of his jeans, Chuck wandered into the kitchen and told the foraging kids, "Miss Sarah and I have something important to talk to you about, so when you're done in here, meet us in the living room." Then he turned and left. 

Brows furrowed with curiosity and more than a little concern. 

"That sounds ominous," Bridget said with worry. 

Martie looked at her sister. "What does 'omnus' mean?" 

"Ominous," Bridget repeated. "It means it looks like something bad is about to happen." 

Martie's eyes grew wide. "Oh. I hope what they tell us isn't bad." 

They all nodded. 

One by one the kids finished their snacks, went into the living room and found a place to sit. Chuck and Sarah sat on the couch next to each other, but judiciously worked to keep from showing any signs of affection. Sarah found this difficult to do, since she had already grown used to their constant physical contact. To keep her hands from wandering, she clasped them together and placed them in her lap. 

Fred was the last to exit the kitchen since he was the one who ate the most. He flopped down next to Lizzie and looked around at his family. "Okay, Uncle Chuck, Miss Sarah. What's all this about?" he asked bluntly. 

"Well, it seems that some of you found out I had a little red box. Although I'm not quite sure how that happened," Chuck began, looking over at Lizzie and Fred. 

Brother and sister surreptitiously nodded at their youngest sibling. Megan, for her part, was doing her best to maintain an angelic façade. 

"Ah, I'm beginning to understand. From that piece of 'intel,'" he mock-glared at Megan, causing her to giggle, "certain conclusions were made. Am I right?" 

Lizzie and Fred nodded again. 

"Conclusions that would have made you doubt the sanity of your poor old Uncle Chuck and would have him facing a general revolution sooner than later." 

Lizzie and Fred nodded for the third time, acknowledging his words with half smiles. 

"Well, lucky for me then, I gave what was inside the box to, how was it put, someone who was perfect for me." 

Now that the time had come, Chuck suddenly became nervous and seemed to lose his ability to speak further. Sarah bobbed her head and gave him an encouraging smile. He relaxed and smiled back at her. Looking into her eyes, he told them, "I've asked Miss Sarah to marry me." He took her hand in his and slipped the suddenly unhidden ring back onto her finger. "And she said, 'yes.'" He gently kissed her on the forehead. 

The room was completely silent as if the kids didn't believe what they had just seen and heard. "Really?" Lizzie asked hesitantly, looking at Sarah and then the ring on her finger. 

Sarah cocked her head. "Really." 

The rest of the siblings watched Lizzie as she glanced at Chuck. 

"Really?" 

Chuck smiled, placed his arm over Sarah's shoulder and pulled her close. "Really." 

Lizzie squealed and a huge grin erupted on her face. She jumped up, launched herself towards the couple and threw her arms across them, hugging them with all her strength. This opened the floodgates and soon all seven kids were piling on, giving them hugs. 

Laughing, Chuck was eventually able to remove the mountain of children off of them. "Hey, I'm wet! Who's been crying?" He looked up to see seven pairs of suspiciously bright eyes. 

"Must have been the girls," Fred replied, dragging a hand across his face, "girls cry all the time." 

"Let us see the ring!" Lizzie said excitedly. Sarah grinned as she proudly held out her hand for all the children to admire the beautiful gold and diamond ring. They boys were mildly interested, but the girls stared at the ring in rapt wonder. "Have you never seen it before?" Sarah asked them. 

They all shook their heads. 

"It's been in that little red box for a long time," Chuck told the girls. "Your mom picked the box up for me to keep the ring in soon after your grandmother left so I wouldn't lose it." He looked into Sarah's eyes and said, "I'm glad I finally found someone to give it to. The perfect someone." 

A lump formed in Sarah's throat and she couldn't stop herself from giving Chuck a quick kiss on the lips. This elicited seven "awwws": two groans of disgust and five sighs of delight. 

They finally settled the kids down and got them back to their seats. Megan, however, refused to be removed from Sarah's lap. She held Sarah's left hand with both of hers, staring at the ring and moving it around so the light would make it sparkle. 

Sarah was relieved and gratified by the kids' enthusiastic responses. Their eyes shone with excitement and they were obviously brimming with questions. 

"When's the wedding?" Bridget asked excitedly. 

"Three weeks from Saturday," Chuck replied. 

"Cool," Curtis said. 

"That's pretty soon," Lisa commented. 

Sarah shrugged, "Why wait?" 

Lizzie choked trying to swallow an amused snort. Sarah stifled a grin. 

"Do we all get to be in the wedding?" Martie asked hopefully. 

"Of course," Sarah answered with surprise. "Lizzie, Lisa and Bridget will be my bridesmaids and you and Megan will be the flower girls." All five girls glanced at each other and smiled happily. Lizzie, Lisa and Bridget immediately started chatting excitedly in low voices amongst themselves. 

The boys looked to Sarah who pointed at Chuck. "The groomsmen are his decision." 

Chuck laughed and said, "You guys will be my groomsmen." They relaxed with relieved smiles. 

The girls stopped their chatting when Megan asked, "Miss Sarah? Will you still be a spy?" 

Sarah hushed Megan. "Sweetie, remember Uncle Morgan doesn't know what I do." Megan clamped her hands over her mouth and muffled a mortified, "sorry." 

She smoothed Megan's hair with her hand and said, "It's okay. No harm done." Sarah glanced over to Chuck and answered vaguely, "As for my work, right now nothing about my mission has changed." 

"So, Miss Sarah, does that mean you're not going to leave us after your mission is done?" Lisa asked hesitantly. 

Sarah knew exactly what Lisa was asking. Wanting the girl to understand the depth of her commitment to not just Chuck, but to all of them, she said with all the sincerity she could muster, "I'm not going to leave you. Besides, how could I go away when I'm going to be your Aunt Sarah? I would never leave my family." 

Satisfied, Lisa crossed her arms and leaned back on the sofa. Still looking intently at her soon-to-be niece, Sarah was relieved to see for the first time that the subtle wariness that had haunted Lisa's eyes was now gone. 

At that moment, Morgan wandered into the room, followed by Casey. "Hey, there's a lot of noise going on in here. What's up?" 

"Uncle Chuck and Miss Sarah are gonna get married!" Megan cried, clapping her hands. Sarah gave her a happy hug. 

"I had a feeling that might be what you guys were talking about," Morgan laughed, grinning at the happy couple. 

Chuck stood and approached his friend. "Morgan, I would be honored if you would be my best man." 

"Dude, I don't know what to say, other than, I accept." Chuck patted his best buddy on the back. 

"Awesome, Uncle Morgan," Fred cried. "You're going to be in the wedding, too!" 

Martie looked around and noticed something. Her face fell. "Everyone is going to be in the wedding except Mr. Casey." She looked so sad for him being left out. 

Sarah's heart melted at the look on Martie's face. "Don't worry. We'll think of something for Mr. Casey to do in the wedding." She already had an idea, but she wanted to talk to him in private about it first. 

Curtis' eyes twinkled. "Maybe Mr. Casey can be the ring bearer." 

The room erupted in laughter. Casey didn't laugh, but a small smile curled at the corner of his lips. He cocked his head and gave Curtis a quick nod of approval. "Good one, kid." 

When the laughter died down, Chuck said, "It's going to be a crazy, busy three weeks, so we're going to need you guys to help out as much as you can. Can you do that?" 

They all nodded, happy to help in any way they could. 

An idea popped into Sarah's mind that would certainly assist with what she and Chuck had discussed earlier in the day. She slipped Megan off of her lap and set her on her feet. Sarah stepped over and whispered into Chuck's ear. There were giggles from the children as they watched them confer. 

He nodded. "That's perfect." He kissed her forehead and said, "Miss Sarah and I think it would be an excellent idea if we moved Miss Sarah's things back to her old room and put Uncle Morgan's things into the room next to mine." 

"Why don't we just put Uncle Morgan's things in your old room, Miss Sarah," Bridget asked innocently. 

_Good question._ Chuck, enjoying watching her squirm, gave her no help. Thinking faster than she ever had before, she gave Chuck a triumphant look before she answered, "Well, one side will be the boys' side and other will be the girls'. It will be just like it was when I first came here." 

"Miss Sarah, you said we wouldn't have to move your stuff back," Curtis complained. 

She quirked a single eyebrow at him. "That was then, this is now." She reached out and ruffled his hair. "Come on. If we all help we'll be done in no time. Do you still have the boxes from when you moved my stuff before?" 

Lisa nodded. "Yeah, they're in a closet in the basement." 

Casey and Morgan stayed in the living room while Chuck and Sarah headed up the stairs as the kids ran down to the basement and grabbed the boxes. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Chuck asked. 

"Tradition, remember? And being in the room right next to you is just too tempting," she answered, nodding. 

"But you'll still…" 

She smiled, "I'll still…" 

The kids tumbled into the room armed with a bunch of empty boxes. They had her room packed up quickly and were soon carrying the loaded boxes back to the room next to Megan and Martie. 

"Yay!" Megan cried, carrying a small box of Sarah's toiletries. "We get to have Miss Sarah next to us again, Martie!" 

Martie nodded. "Yeah, just until Uncle Chuck and Miss Sarah get married. Then she'll move her stuff into his room." 

"Why?" Megan asked. 

Martie shrugged. "Married people share a room and sleep in the same bed." 

"Why?" she asked again. "It seems like it would be kinda crowded." 

Martie's face scrunched as she considered this. Finally, she said, "I think it has something to do with socks." 

"Socks?" 

"Uh-huh," Martie replied. "I heard some people talking about it on one of those talk shows on TV I saw over the summer. They said married people like to have lots and lots of socks." 

"Really?" 

Martie nodded. "And they should try different kinds of socks, too." 

Megan was obviously confused. "Why would they need lots of socks and different kinds of socks when they're married then when they're not?" 

"I don't know." She considered the question before them for a moment and then said, "Maybe when you get married your feet are cold all the time. I've heard about people having 'cold feet' just before the wedding." 

"But what do socks have to do with sleeping in the same bed?" Megan still wanted to know. 

This, Martie knew. "That way they can keep their feet warm against each other and don't have to wear socks to bed." 

Megan thought long and hard about the things her sister had just told her. Finally, she announced with conviction, "Well, when Uncle Chuck and Miss Sarah get married, we want them to be happy, so let's make sure they have lots and lots of socks, even if they _are_ in the same bed and their feet _are_ warm." 

Chuck had to wipe a tear of silent laughter that had escaped and Sarah bit her lip to keep from howling at the conversation they had just witnessed. He pulled her off to the side and hugged her close. Giggling, he whispered into her ear, "You want to tell them marriage isn't all about the 'socks?'" 

She snickered and whispered back, "Who said it's not all about the 'socks,' Chuck?" To emphasize her point, she blew gently in his ear, turned and headed back toward her new old room. It was another minute before he could move. 

"I still don't quite understand why we're moving you back to your old room, Miss Sarah," Fred complained as he placed a box of her stuff in the room and started to depart. 

"Ah, well, you know it gets kind of cold in the basement and I thought your Uncle Chuck would appreciate having his best friend beside him," Sarah called after him, airily. She noticed Lizzie smirking at her. "What?" 

Lizzie glanced about to make sure none of her younger siblings were nearby and then opened her mouth, "He's just so handsome and sexy," she mimicked, "I can't control myself." Then, eyes dancing, she added, "Wasn't too far from the truth, was it?" 

Sarah blushed as the teenager continued to laugh with glee. 

~ O ~

The rest of the week went by in a flash. Chuck and Sarah went out every morning after dropping Megan off at school to run wedding preparation errands, after their stop off at the coffee shop first, of course. 

Tuesday they visited the bakery where they fed each other various cake samples. They both blushed when they saw the grin on the owner's face when he caught Chuck with one of Sarah's fingers in his mouth, sucking off some excess frosting. Their embarrassment was somewhat mitigated when the owner winked and stated with the wave of a hand, "Wedding cake tastings – happens all the time." 

Wednesday they stopped by the party rental place and reserved tables, chairs, linens, china, flatware and everything else needed for the wedding and reception. As much as Sarah wanted to have both the wedding and reception outside, she acquiesced and agreed to rent a tent when the event planner regaled her with stories of receptions gone horribly wrong due to bad weather, bugs or both. The planner, however, began to grate on her nerves when Sarah had to continually say no to all the extra things the woman wanted to add to the reception. No, they didn't want a chocolate fountain. No, they didn't want an ice sculpture. No, they didn't want lights shining up on the ceiling of the tent that looked like trees. Sarah's response to that was, "We have trees in the yard. Maybe we should get rid of the tent." When, "Maybe we should get rid of the planner, too," was added in a muttered voice Chuck knew his bride-to-be had reached the end of her tolerance and it was time for them to go. 

Thursday's errand was much more fun than the day's before. Chuck had already made an appointment with the jeweler, so when they entered, every wedding band in the jewelry store was laid out on top of the display cases on cushioned trays of purple velvet. There was yellow gold, white gold, titanium, platinum, with diamonds and without. Sarah murmured "ooohs" and "ahhhs" as she scanned tray after tray of rings. She gravitated toward the yellow gold bands since they matched the metal of her engagement ring. Although Chuck was perfectly willing to spend any amount of money get her the perfect band, and as beautiful as the rings were with the diamonds in them, in the end she really just wanted a simple yellow gold band. They picked out a gold band for Chuck, her making sure it was one of the widest ones the store so it would be obvious to all that he was married. 

Friday morning they stayed in from running errands. They both spent the morning writing and filing reports with Beckman and Graham. Chuck had worked diligently on Project Sun Ray every afternoon and evening the whole week as he was more determined than ever to get the work finished and Graham and Beckman off their backs. 

Friday evening the whole family, including Morgan and Casey, went to the barbeque place they had chosen to cater the reception. Casey grinned when he saw the waiters wearing loud red and white plaid shirts, neck kerchiefs and cowboy hats. 

Sarah leaned over to him and asked him, "What are you smiling about?" 

"I'm just glad I'm not wearing that getup and working here tonight." His grin faded somewhat when he said, "Although, what they're wearing here in still better than lederhosen." 

"Oh, I don't know, John. I think you have very nice knees and it's good to air them out once in awhile," she teased. 

He grunted and took a sip of his water. 

Now seemed to be a good time to talk to Casey about the wedding, so she ventured hesitantly, "I know we haven't know each other very long, but I have to say that you are the best partner I've ever worked with. You're professional, an exemplary agent and have had my back in more ways than one. For that I am eternally grateful." 

He turned his whole body slightly and crooked an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue. 

She looked into his face and asked, "John, would you walk me down the aisle?" 

His eyes actually twinkled. "Walker – Sarah – I would be honored." Finished with his brief acceptance, he called for a couple shots of scotch which the two agents downed quickly. 

Massive amounts of barbeque were consumed and the owner of the restaurant was more than thrilled to be given the job of catering the reception. By the time they got home, everyone was stuffed with food and exhausted from the week, so they crashed out in front of the TV. It wasn't too long before the two youngest had to be carried upstairs and put to bed. Eventually, the other five kids wandered up to bed as well. Casey went home and Morgan soon headed upstairs as well, leaving Chuck and Sarah alone, snuggled together on the couch. Sarah was almost asleep curled into Chuck's side when he rubbed her back, waking her from her dozing. 

"Come on," he said, pulling her to her feet. "We need to get you to bed." They tiredly climbed up the stairs arms around each other. At the top, Chuck started to turn right toward her room, but she mumbled, "No," and turned them left toward his room. To his questioning "hmmm?" she answered, "At least for awhile." He hugged her closer as they sauntered down the hall and went into Chuck's room together. 

~ O ~

In her entire life, Sarah had never felt so loved, so secure, so content. She never thought feelings like this even existed. She lay with Chuck in his bed, spooning, his right arm wrapped around her. Clinging to it, she was almost afraid to let go; that if she did, somehow this all might disappear and she would be bereft and alone. A contented sigh escaped her lips and she could almost hear the smile that spread on Chuck's face as he pulled her closer. 

"I don't want to go," she said quietly. 

"Then stay," he whispered, nuzzling her neck. 

She turned over so she could face him, "I can't. If I stay any longer, I'll fall asleep here. We've talked about this before. What if one of the kids comes looking for me and I'm not in my room?" 

"They'll get over it," he mumbled. 

"Chuck, you're not making this easy," she groaned. His right hand lay on top of the comforter now, resting on her hip. Moving her left hand from under the covers, she placed it on top of his and softly caressed his fingers with her fingertips. A shaft of silvery moonlight shone through a crack in the curtains and fell where their hands lay. The moonlight gave off just enough light for the diamond of her engagement ring to glint and glow. 

"That's the idea," he whispered, finding a new place on her neck on which to nibble. 

She nearly gave in, but finally with great effort, gently shoved him away and crawled out of bed. He groaned as he flopped back on his pillow and she walked toward the pile of clothes on the floor. Looking at the clothes tossed about, she spied the dress shirt Chuck had worn earlier that evening. Picking it up, she held it to her face and took a deep breath. _Mmmmmm._ Slipping the shirt on and buttoning it part way up, she walked back to Chuck's side of the bed and sat down. She placed her hand on his cheek. 

"A little presumptuous to be wearing my clothes, don't you think, Sarah?" he teased. 

"Not after what happened about an hour ago," she teased back, knowing his face had just turned red. "Besides, this way when I go back to my own cold, lonely bed, I'll have your scent to comfort me." 

He took a small intake of breath. In the moonlight, she could see his eyes bore into hers, causing her to shiver. "Is that why you always wear one of my shirts when you go back to your room?" 

She smiled shyly and shrugged. 

He reached up, gently took the front of the shirt in his hand and pulled her down to him. Their lips met in a sweet, tender kiss. 

"Stay," he whispered again. 

She was defenseless. "Okay. But only for a little longer." 

She stayed for more than a little longer.


	12. Chapter 12

The shaft of moonlight that had illumined Chuck's bed gave way to sunlight that cut a swath across it. The occupants of the room, however, were unaware as they lay firmly snuggled in each other's arms deeply asleep. 

A sound that came from the direction of the bedroom door began to gently pull them from their blissful slumber. 

"Mmmm," Sarah purred as she was pulled from a vivid dream that involved her, Chuck, a jar of peanut butter and a chocolate bar. 

Opening her eyes, she smiled when Chuck's peaceful face, his eyes still closed, filled her vision. He looked so sexy, she was compelled to lean in and give him a soft kiss. 

Without moving, he smiled and rumbled, "Good morning, beautiful." 

A soft, "Ahem," came from the direction of the door. 

Chuck's eyes flew open and Sarah whispered, "Oh no." 

They both sat up, pulling the comforter further up over the front of them and looked over to where the sound came. From the doorway they saw a smirking Lizzie staring back at them. 

Clutching the comforter in front of her, Sarah was relieved when she realized she still wore Chuck's dress shirt. He, however, was shirtless. 

"I'm sorry," Lizzie said, her dancing eyes betraying the fact that she actually wasn't sorry at all. "I knocked a couple of times but you didn't answer. I wasn't sure you were even in here." Now she did look apologetic and said, "We thought maybe you had gone for a walk together or something." 

"No, well, um…" Sarah mumbled. "Chuck needed me to…" She realized that sounded bad so she stopped midsentence and tried, "Well, you see, last night…" 

Seeing that Sarah was having no luck with an explanation, Chuck tried. "I needed Sarah to…" he started and then attempted, "There was this…" 

Lizzie rolled her eyes and said, "Please. It's fine. I'm the only one who knows anything." 

"How do you know about 'anything'?" Chuck asked. 

"I see stuff. I hear things. I'm young, but I'm not stupid," she grinned. 

They smiled back at her, relaxing back onto the pillows. "Is everyone else up?" Chuck asked. 

Lizzie nodded, "Yeah, they're eating breakfast." She glanced over at the pile of clothes on the floor. "I'm not sure how much longer I can keep them from coming up here and looking for you, though," she warned them. 

Sarah sat up again and ran a hand through her hair. "I'll be down in a couple of minutes." 

Lizzie nodded and grinned again as she closed the bedroom door. 

Chuck sat up as well and from behind, wrapped his arms around her waist and gently placed his chin on her shoulder. He heaved a sigh and groaned, "This is going to be a _long_ three weeks." 

~ O ~

Despite the rather unusual start to the day, Sarah was able to get dressed and down the stairs in just a few minutes. Not that she was complaining about the way her day began, however. She tried her best to act like it was just like any other morning, but she had difficulty keeping a happy grin from spontaneously taking over her face. Chuck had no more success than she at trying to look "normal" when he came into the kitchen a little while after her. Thankfully, the kids had just finished breakfast and were scattering throughout the house, so they paid little attention to either of them. 

Chuck made some coffee and poured a mug for Sarah, both of them still smiling at their "secret." 

After spending a few minutes getting their breakfasts together, they sat down together at the table. "I checked my email before I came in here. We got six more responses, so now the number of guests coming to the wedding is around twenty." 

Eating her toast, she nodded absently. "That's great, Chuck." 

He looked over at her. "I'm sorry you don't have your family coming," he said. 

She made a half shrug. "It's more of just a sad commentary on my life, that's all." 

He waited, chewing his cereal. 

"I tried to contact my friend Carina, but she's undercover somewhere and I can't get a message to her." _Boy is she in for a surprise the next time I talk to her._ "My dad is… well, I don't know where he is. He's probably running a scam on some poor unsuspecting businessman trying to sell the guy an office building he doesn't own." She stared at the table, saddened by the mess that was her family. "I don't have any siblings and my mom, well… let's just say we have a very complicated relationship and I don't have much contact with her." 

"I'm sorry," was his only reply. 

"It's okay. I accept my family for what it is. Or isn't." Her sudden smile seemed to surprise him. "Besides, you and the kids are my family now." 

He smiled back. "Happily." Changing the subject, he asked, "Are you still planning on going to Denver today?" 

She nodded, popping the last bite of toast in her mouth. "The appointment isn't until one o'clock, but it takes a couple of hours to get there, so we really should get going soon," she said, looking at the kitchen clock. "Are you installing the second gaming system today?" 

"Yup. The Buy More guys should be delivering the stuff soon. Morgan and I are going to set it up." 

She gave him a dubious look. "Do you know how to install all that equipment?" 

"How hard can it be?" He shrugged. "They wanted to send up a couple of Nerd Herd guys to do it for us, but Morgan and I figured we can do it ourselves. Besides, Morgan says that some guys in the Nerd Herd can be kind of skeevy." 

She choked on her coffee. "Nerd Herd?" she laughed. "What's that?" 

"Pretty awesome name, isn't it?" He stood up from the table and carried his empty bowl to the sink. "It's the tech support arm of the Buy More franchise. Those poor guys are stuck in dead end jobs that pay eleven dollars an hour to fix people's computers and install various types of equipment and components." He chuckled. "You should see what they wear. Black pants, short sleeved white shirts, ties and pocket protectors." 

She left the table and stepped right up next to him. Invading his personal space, she murmured, "I bet you would look really cute as a Nerd Herder." She kissed him and then said softly in his ear, "I need to get you a pocket protector." 

A slow, heart stopping smile crept across his face. "No need. I've already got one. It's in my desk drawer. I'll whip it out for you sometime." 

A low, guttural growl rumbled from her very core. "Promise?" 

"Promise." He gave her a slow, tantalizing kiss and she responded with a soft moan. When they broke the kiss, she mumbled, "Three weeks from today is too long to wait to get married. What are you doing this afternoon?" 

"I'm installing a gaming system, remember?" he chuckled. "And you are taking the girls to Denver to look at wedding dresses," he reminded her and then kissed her forehead. He wrapped an arm around her waist and led her out of the kitchen and toward the stairs. She reluctantly separated from him and ascended the stairs alone and headed to her room to get ready. 

Climbing the stairs, she realized she was both excited and nervous at the prospect of looking for her wedding dress. This was another one of those things she had never really thought about before, since she assumed she would never have a proper wedding. She hoped it would be one of those things where "you'll know it when you see it." Plus, she was sure that the five highly opinionated fashion consultants she was bringing with her wouldn't steer her wrong. 

She showered, changed and was ready to go in record time and when she emerged from her room, the girls were ready to go as well. 

Casey arrived a few minutes before they were scheduled to leave and informed her that, per her request, Agents Cole and Barker would be performing a visual and electronic sweep of the outdoor property while she was gone. Sarah didn't want to give Graham any ammunition regarding his constant complaints that she wasn't taking Chuck's protection seriously, so she ordered the additional inspection. She and Casey had also discussed the idea of Agents Barstow and Vegas accompanying her and the girls to Denver, but decided against it. Instead, Barstow and Vegas would keep watch over the house from the van and Casey would stay inside with Chuck while Cole and Barker performed the sweep. She was confident that she would be able to keep the girls safe and was only comfortable in leaving Chuck at all when she knew he was heavily protected. 

After her conference with Casey and knowing that Chuck was and would remain secure, she rounded up the girls and herded them toward the garage. Chuck stood at door between the house and garage, dispensing quick kisses to the six females in his life as they passed him, although one of the females received a much different kiss than the other five. 

"You be safe, Chuck," she said with a serious tone. "The only reason I'm letting you out of my sight is because you can't be there when I'm trying on wedding dresses." 

He kissed her cheek. "I'll be good, I promise," he said, holding up his fingers in the Boy Scout salute. Satisfied that he was indeed going to be a good boy, she smiled and gave him a quick kiss back. "We should be home around dinner time." 

He hit the button that automatically opened the garage, walked her to the van, and opened the door for her. She climbed into the driver's seat and he closed her door. He waved as she backed out of the garage and she blew him a kiss which induced giggles from the girls. 

With mock anger, Sarah said, "Alright. Pipe down back there." Lizzie laughed and rolled her eyes. In just a few minutes, they were on the highway, heading for Denver. 

"Miss Sarah," Megan spoke up from her booster seat while moving Spy Barbie in front of her, pretending the doll was repelling down an invisible rope, "why do we have to go all the way to Denver to look at dresses?" 

"Because as wonderful as it is to live in the mountains, the stores don't always have some of the things we need to buy. So we have to go to a bigger city to find them. In this case, it's dresses for the wedding." 

Now it was Bridget's turn to ask, "Have you ever watched that show on TV where a bridal shop in New York tries to help brides find the perfect dress?" 

"No, I haven't. Why?" She shifted a little so she could see Bridget's face in the rear view mirror. 

Sarah couldn't miss the fashion maven of the family grimace. Bridget hesitated and then said, "Well, the brides usually go in to pick out their dresses months before the wedding. You need yours in less than a month." 

Sarah shrugged, her eyes returning to the road. "We'll just do our best with what they can offer us. I'll marry your Uncle Chuck in sweatpants and a t-shirt if I have to." 

Laughter filled the vehicle. Sarah could hear Bridget's relief as the girl blew out a breath. 

~ O ~

The trip to Denver passed quickly as the conversation moved along at lightning speed. Although topics usually changed suddenly and without warning, none of the girls were ever for a loss of words. 

Sarah drove through the light Saturday traffic and found the bridal shop without much difficulty. The availability of parking, however, was another matter. They drove around for several minutes before she spied a metered parking spot. They were several blocks from the shop, but she figured a walk might help work out the apprehension she was suddenly feeling. 

The younger girls, talking over each other, tumbled out of the van and started off toward the bridal shop. Sarah and Lizzie lagged behind the other four by a short distance. 

Lizzie had noticed the abrupt change in Sarah's body language and asked, "A little nervous?" 

Sarah gave her a tight smile. "Is it that obvious?" 

Lizzie nodded, but smiled encouragingly. "Remember, you'll marry him in sweatpants, right?" 

Sarah's face relaxed into a grin. "Right." Striding down the sidewalk, Sarah kept her eyes straight ahead when she said, "Lizzie, I'm sorry if this morning was awkward for you. We didn't mean for that to happen. We want to be sensitive to you all, but we sort of, well, slipped up." 

Then teenager shrugged off Sarah's concerns. "It's okay. You were just sleeping." She smirked, "Now, if I had interrupted you doing something else… Uuuhh!" She mock shivered, causing Sarah to chuckle. Laughing, Lizzie tucked her arm through Sarah's so that they walked side-by-side, elbows linked. "Seriously, you two were so sweet sleeping together like that. I've never seen Uncle Chuck happier than he is right now – with you." 

That piece of news caused a warm feeling to suffuse through Sarah. "I'm the happiest I've ever been, too." 

A wistful look crossed Lizzie's face. "My mom would have been happy for Uncle Chuck now that he's with you. I don't remember a lot about it, but I do recall her always worrying about his 'love life.'" 

A questioning eyebrow rose. 

"Jill Roberts was the only serious girlfriend he ever had and mom didn't like her very much." 

They both snorted at that. "Apparently, your mom was a good judge of character." 

"Yeah, she would have liked you." 

A pang of sadness hit Sarah, suddenly wishing she could have gotten to know Chuck's remarkable sister. 

"Anyway, he'd dated a couple of women since we've moved here, but – I don't know – they just weren't right for him." Lizzie squeezed Sarah's arm. "He needed someone extraordinary." They had nearly reached the shop when Lizzie said, "Then you came along. I'm happy for Uncle Chuck… and for you. He loves you. We love you too… even before you were going to be our aunt." 

Sarah blinked back the tears Lizzie's words had caused to spring up. "Thanks. I love you all, too. I hope you know that." 

Since they had caught up with the other girls stopped just outside the door of the bridal shop, Lizzie replied with a simple, "We know." 

Sarah gave her a quick hug and swiped her fingers under her eyes to catch any errant tears or running mascara. Collecting herself, she took a breath and said, "Okay, girls. Stay close to me and don't touch anything. The women in a place like this might not be used to seeing so many kids all at once." 

"Don't worry, Miss Sarah," Lisa replied. "We're used to it." 

Sarah smiled. "I know you are. You'll do great." 

She opened the door and they stepped inside the shop. Just as Sarah suspected, all conversation stopped as soon as they walked in. She seemed to be the only one who noticed, however, as the girls were immediately transfixed by the beautiful dresses displayed throughout the store. Megan (still clutching Spy Barbie) and Martie stood just inside the door, their mouths gaping open. Lisa and Lizzie noted their younger sisters' stunned inability to move, so they took their hands and gently led them to the center of the shop. 

One of the bridal consultants, who was about Sarah's age, approached her and asked, "How can I help you?" 

"Hi, I'm Sarah Walker. I have an appointment to…" her tongue suddenly felt like it was stuck to the roof of her mouth, "find a wedding dress." 

"Yes, of course!" the woman cried. "My name is Amanda and I'll be helping you today." She glanced over Sarah's shoulder and asked, "And who might these lovely young ladies be?" 

Sarah's eyes shone with pride when she said, "These are my girls." They clustered around her when she motioned for them to come near. "Lizzie, Lisa and Bridget are going to be my bridesmaids and Martie and Megan are going to be my flower girls." 

Amanda's eyes grew wide. "You must have been very young when you had your first." 

Megan giggled. "No, Miss Sarah isn't our mom. She's marrying our Uncle Chuck." Although it made perfect sense to Megan, Amanda still looked confused. 

Grinning at Megan and tickling the girl under her chin, Sarah explained, "My fiancé is their uncle and guardian. I get to become their aunt." 

Amanda's face cleared and a smile broke. "Well, isn't that lovely. Congratulations to you all. Now, let's get down to business. When's your wedding day?" 

"Three weeks from today." 

The woman visibly paled and took a step back like she had just been kicked by a ninja. "Three weeks?" she croaked. "Is the first time you've gone looking for a dress?" 

Sarah nodded, feeling nervous again. 

"How long have you been engaged?" Amanda inquired, confused again. 

"A week," Sarah supplied. 

Amanda's eyes grew wide. "You're trying to get a wedding dress in less than a month?" 

"Um, yes?" Sarah ventured, suddenly feeling like she wanted to jump back in the van and drive back to Beaver Creek. 

"I'm sorry, but I'm not sure we can do that," Amanda replied. "Usually, the bride picks out the dress, we take measurements and then order it. It will take at least six weeks before it will be here, maybe a month if we put a rush on it." 

Bridget had been silently observing the conversation between the two women. The frown on her face deepened as the problems of Sarah getting her dress piled up. Suddenly, she stepped forward and said to Amanda, "Excuse me, but don't you have some dress samples here that Miss Sarah could try on and perhaps buy today?" Pointing at Sarah, Bridget continued, "I'm sure you can see that she is obviously a perfect size four and that any dress she might buy would most likely only need the slightest of alternations." 

Amanda looked down at Bridget in shock. The young girl was on a roll. "Now, if you could please go find any available wedding dresses and bring them out here, we would love to buy a dress from you today." 

Amanda continued to stare at Bridget for a moment and then looked to Sarah, who could only smile and shrug one shoulder. The woman looked back to Bridget, whose determined face never wavered. Deciding that she should do what the girl asked Amanda scurried off to the back room to find some dresses. 

A grin appeared on Sarah's face when she overheard Bridget say, "I was born for this." 

It took Amanda less than ten minutes to bring out from the mysterious back room five dresses for Sarah to try on. Bridget quickly inspected the dresses and nodded. "Yes, I see the one," she whispered to no one in particular. 

Lined up next to each other on the couch, the girls sat quietly and expectantly as Amanda helped Sarah into the first dress. She walked out of the changing room and stood on the raised round platform before an array of mirrors. Sarah knew before she even stepped out of the room that this was not the dress. As soon as they saw it, the looks on the girls' faces told her she was right. 

"I don't like the train," Bridget said bluntly. 

"Neither do I," Sarah agreed, turning around and heading back into the changing room. 

The second dress wasn't any better. However, when Sarah put on the third dress, her sudden gasp of wonder as she looked at herself in the mirror told her that dress was 'the one.' She just hoped the girls, waiting patiently to see it, thought so, too. The moment she turned the corner and appeared before them, each of the girls' faces shone with approval. Lizzie and Lisa grinned. Martie and Megan sat wide-eyed and perfectly still, like they were in the presence of an angel. 

Bridget jumped up from her seat and approached Sarah who had stepped up onto the platform. "Now that's more like it," she said happily. She slowly circled Sarah, casting a critical eye over the dress, fingering the material and checking the fit. "Just what I thought, Miss Sarah. It would only need a few alterations." 

"Well, what do you think, girls?" Sarah asked shyly. Five voices replied in unison, "It's perfect!" 

She breathed a sigh and smiled, "It is perfect, isn't it?" Sarah turned to Amanda and said, "We'll take it." 

"Wonderful!" Amanda exclaimed. "I knew this was the one when you made that little noise in the changing room," she smiled. 

"I'll just get our alternations lady out here. We'll put a rush on it and she can have it ready for you next week." 

"I was hoping to take it today," Sarah said, a little confused. "We live in Beaver Creek and I really don't want to have to make another trip down here next weekend, too." _Two Saturdays away from Chuck? Not going to happen._

Bridget stepped in and said, "Well, the length only needs to come up about an inch or so. The bodice needs to be brought in a little round the waist. The seams along the back make that easy to do." The family fashion guru looked to Sarah and said, "We can find someone in Vail or Beaver Creek that can alter this for you. It's not a big deal." 

Sarah saw the certainty in Bridget's face. Convinced that her soon-to-be niece knew exactly what she was talking about, Sarah said to Amanda, "Thank you, but we'll be taking it today and having it altered closer to home." 

Amanda's face fell. "I would hate for you to have a bad alterations job ruin this beautiful dress and your wedding day." She looked at Sarah doubtfully, "Are you sure you don't want to have us do the work for you? Once you take the dress, we can't be responsible for how it turns out." 

"I understand," Sarah answered. Winking at Bridget, she said, "I'm not worried. My personal stylist will make sure it's perfect." 

Bridget beamed when Sarah added, "She was born for this." 

~ O ~

Sarah and the girls had only been gone for about two hours and Chuck was already feeling out of sorts. He was used to his nieces being gone for long periods of time during the day when they were at school, but this was the first time since Sarah had come into his life where he'd be at home and she'd be gone for more than a couple hours. At least three times in the last hour, he had found himself turning to say something to her, expecting to find her next to him, only to be disappointed when she wasn't there. He missed her heart stopping smile and her intoxicating scent. He missed _her. How did I ever survive without her my whole life? _He chuckled to himself when he thought about how quickly a person's life could change. Once again, he turned to say something to her and could only shake his head when he realized he had done it again.__

He was greatly relieved when the doorbell rang. He opened the door to find two Buy More delivery men bringing the new gaming system and TV. It would give all of them something to do other than watch football or play Call of Duty. It was a little unnerving to have two large, square jawed agents combing his backyard for who knew what and Chuck was glad to have something to focus his mind on other than the absent Sarah, Project Sun Ray, the kids, an enemy of the state trying to kill him and missing Sarah some more. 

The burly Buy More delivery guys carried the equipment into the TV room and set the boxes down. "You sure you don't want to have the Nerd Herd come set this up for you?" one of the guys asked. 

"No, thanks. I'm pretty sure we can figure it out," Chuck replied. 

The big man shrugged. "Okay, suit yourself. It's pretty complicated, though." 

Chuck smiled and said, "I'm sure we'll manage. If not, we'll be sure to call for help." 

The delivery man nodded and recited, "1-800-NERD-HERD." 

Handing Chuck a clipboard, he said, "Initial here, here and here. And sign here, here, here and here and date this here." Chuck sighed at Morgan who was smirking at him as he initialed and signed. "Why do I feel like I've just signed away my firstborn?" 

"Oh, well, you did, Chuck," Morgan deadpanned. "Yeah, see we put that in the fine print so we can raise up an army of Nerd Herders if needed. A kid with Sarah's looks and… Sarah's brains and we'll take over the world." 

"Very funny," Chuck replied. 

Chuck escorted the two delivery guys to the door and watched as they climbed into their truck and drove away. 

Returning to the TV room, Chuck found that Fred and Curtis had already opened the box that contained the new Xbox equipment and had parts spread out all over the floor. "Um, guys," he said patiently, "don't you think we should set up the TV first before we start messing with the gaming stuff?" 

Fred and Curtis looked at each other and grinned. "Oh, yeah, I guess so," Fred replied. 

It was a good thing the entertainment room was large as a second TV and Xbox system would have overwhelmed a smaller one. As it was, it took a significant amount of rearranging before everything was finally put in the right places. 

Chuck skimmed the instruction manuals for the TV and gaming console, so had little trouble getting the new system up and running. Fred was playing on one system and Curtis was playing on the other while Chuck continued to read over the information on how to have two systems talk to each other when Casey entered and said, "Mr. Bartowski, I need to talk to you, now" 

Chuck looked up from his reading to see Casey jerk his head toward the living room, indicating that he wanted Chuck to come with him. "Guys, I'll be back in a minute." Three grunts acknowledged his words as he stepped out and followed Casey into the next room. 

Casey moved close to Chuck and said, "Do you have a backup of Project Sun Ray or is it only on your computer?" 

Chuck frowned at such an odd question but could tell from the serious look on Casey's face, he needed to give him a quick answer. "I do a nightly encrypted backup onto a thumb drive and put the drive in a safe in my office. Why?" 

Casey ignored Chuck's query. "How about your computer? How easy is it to get to it?" 

"I do all my Sun Ray work on a computer that's not connected to the Internet in any way so no one from the outside can get to it. The computer case is sealed and bolted to the desk which is bolted to the floor. There's no way to get the computer out of the office. And there's no way to log into the computer without my password." 

Casey's eyes flashed. "Is the safe fireproof?" 

Chuck swallowed hard and nodded. 

"Is it rated to withstand explosives?" Casey asked urgently. 

"What?" Chuck shouted, shocked. 

"Shhhhh! Keep your voice down!" Casey hissed. "I don't want you to freak out the other three," he said, peering over Chuck's shoulder to see if Morgan or the boys came out of the TV room. Satisfied that the sounds blaring from the TVs could drown out a real enemy invasion of the house, he continued, "During the sweep of the yard, Agent Barker spotted an area of dirt under your office window that had been recently disturbed. He looked at it more closely. A bomb is buried there." 

Chuck paled and felt like he was going to be sick right there on the spot. "A _bomb!_ " he whispered loudly. "Casey, we've got to get out of here! The boys! And Morgan!" 

"I know, we're doing that right now!" Casey growled. "We've already called the Agency bomb squad and they're going to disarm it. I need you to give me the combination to the safe so I can get the backup drive and take it with us when we leave in about two minutes." 

"Casey, let me go in and open the safe. It will just take a minute." 

"No way, Bartowski. If that bomb goes off when you're in there and something happens to you, Walker will kill me. Literally. And slowly." The faint beginnings of a smile disappeared from Chuck's face when he realized the big man wasn't kidding. Casey shoved a notepad and pen into his hand and ordered, "Write the combo down. Now!" 

With shaking hands, Chuck wrote down the combination to the safe and handed the pad and pen back to Casey. 

Casey looked down at his watch. "It's four o'clock now. Have you heard from Walker?" 

Chuck nodded. "I got a text from her about an hour ago saying they were on their way home. They should be back here in about an hour, maybe a little more." 

"Good." He put a hand on Chuck's shoulder and looked him in the eye. "Text her and tell her to meet us for dinner at the In-n-Out by the highway. You get Morgan and the boys out to my car right now. I'll meet you as soon as I get the thumb drive. Then we'll take off. Got it?" 

The calming hand on Chuck's shoulder helped him focus. He needed to get his friend and boys out of harm's way. His courage returned. "Got it," he said in a calm voice. 

Casey gave him a quick nod and said, "Good man. Now go!" As Casey walked toward Chuck's office, he pulled out his phone and called Agents Barstow and Vegas, telling them to move the van up by his car to cover the asset until Casey came out. 

Chuck hurried back to the TV room and immediately grabbed the remotes and turned off the TVs, much to the dismay of Morgan and the boys. "Hey, Uncle Chuck, what's the big idea?" Curtis called out. 

Their annoyance turned to concern when they saw the serious look on Chuck's face. "We need to grab our jackets from the hall closet and go out to Casey's car and wait. Don't ask any questions. Just do it. Now!" 

They calmly dropped their controllers and switched off the Xboxes. They were out the door and waiting in the vehicle in less than a minute. Morgan didn't ask any questions, but was obviously interested in the black van parked behind Casey's car and the two intimidating men standing on either side of it. As they waited for Casey, Chuck pulled out his phone and texted Sarah telling her to meet at the In-n-Out along the highway. 

He was just putting his phone back in his pocket when he glanced out the back window of the car to see Casey speaking with the agents. In a cloud of dust, a large, unmarked panel truck pulled up into the driveway and several men jumped out the back. They conferred with Casey and the other two agents for a moment, all pointing toward the house. Chuck couldn't make out what the men were saying, but he was pretty sure he didn't want to know. Just as Casey opened his door and slid into the driver's seat, Chuck's phone buzzed. 

He read the text and said, "Lizzie is texting for Sarah who wants to know if everything is all right. What do I tell her, Casey?" 

"Tell her everything is fine and we'll explain when we see them." 

~ O ~

Lizzie read the text from Chuck to her as Sarah pressed down harder on the accelerator. The van was moving at a swift clip but she wanted it to move even faster. She scowled when the vehicle refused to obey her wishes. "What does he mean, 'we'll explain it when we see you'?" she growled under her breath. She knew something was wrong. Casey would never have Chuck leave the house like this without it being prearranged with her. 

Sarah noticed Lizzie staring at the speedometer. "I know I'm going kind of fast, but don't worry," she said in a low voice so that only the teen could hear her. "I've had special high speed driving training. Besides, this is nothing. There was this one time in Paraguay where I had to drive a drug lord's Bugatti Veyron at a hundred and forty when I was chasing this…" She stopped talking suddenly when she glimpsed the funny look on Lizzie's face. "You know what? Never mind." 

The other girls in the van grew silent, recognizing that something was wrong. Swallowing hard, Lizzie asked, "Is there anything you need me to do, Miss Sarah?" 

Sarah drove silently for a moment, trying to figure out if there was anything Lizzie could help with. She realized what she really needed was to hear Chuck's voice so she could know for sure he was okay. 

"Could you call Chuck, please?" 

Lizzie nodded, listened until she heard Chuck's phone ringing and then handed the phone over to Sarah. 

Sarah grew more nervous as she listened and waited for him to answer his phone. Come on, come on. After what seemed like an eternity, Chuck answered, "Hey, Sarah." 

A sense of relief flooded through her and she cried, "Chuck! Are you okay? Where's Casey? What's going on?" 

The strength and confidence in his voice calmed her. "Sarah, sweetie, I'm fine. Casey is right here. Morgan and the boys are here, too. There was a little trouble at the house, but Casey's got it under control and you don't need to worry." 

At that pronouncement, she grumbled. 

He chuckled, "Okay, so I can't stop you from worrying. But I'm fine and we'll see you soon. Where are you?" 

"We just passed Frisco," she answered, still wishing the van could move faster. 

"Great! You concentrate on driving safely and we'll see you in about forty-five minutes. I love you." 

The scowl finally relaxed when she answered softly, "I love you, too. Bye." 

She ended the call and handed the phone back to Lizzie. The speedometer indicated that they were traveling well beyond the speed limit and since she was now assured that Chuck was in one piece, she eased off the accelerator and slowed the van down. The tension in the vehicle lessened as the van slowed its pace. 

"Miss Sarah, what's up?" Lisa asked. 

Sarah blew out a frustrated breath. "I wish I knew. All I know is that we're going to meet everyone at the In-n-Out." 

"Well, that's okay," Lisa answered. "We like it there." 

Sarah couldn't help but smile. If Chuck was there, she'd like it there, too. 

~ O ~

"Forty-five minutes?" Fred whined. "Do we have to wait that long to eat? I'm hungry now." 

Curtis nodded, looking forlorn with hunger as they sat at a table inside the burger establishment. 

"Chuck, they won't let us sit here without food for very long," Morgan reminded him. In-n-Out was always busy and seating was at a premium. 

"Yeah, you're right, Morgan. We'll eat now and then when the girls get here, they can eat," Chuck responded. 

Fred grinned, "Curtis and I can eat then, too. We wouldn't want the girls to eat alone." 

Chuck had to laugh. Both Fred and Curtis would eat all the time if humanly possible. "Okay, I'll get you some food so you won't starve to death in the next hour." 

Their plan to sit at the table with food in front of them for forty-five minutes was wildly optimistic. It took approximately four minutes for the cheeseburgers, fries and milkshakes to be consumed with little talking taking place as the food was devoured. Since their food was gone, they had no recourse but to give up their seats to other hungry customers. They decided to move outside and sit at the empty tables while they waited for the Sarah and girls. 

The wait seemed interminable. Fred and Curtis flicked, poked and taunted each other until a real fight nearly broke out and Chuck had to separate them. Morgan was still confused as to what all this was about and Casey, speaking in low tones into his phone, paced back and forth a few feet away. 

Chuck glanced at his watch, then glued his eyes to the entrance to the parking lot and waited. 

~ O ~

The last five miles seemed to go on forever. It felt to Sarah like someone was adding miles of roadway in front of her, making it impossible for her to reach her destination. Finally, they reached the off ramp and made their way to the In-n-Out. Sarah used every ounce of control to drive the van at a legal speed. Had she been by herself, the van would have been taking turns on two wheels. As it was, they still entered the parking lot at a pretty good speed, coming to an abrupt stop near where the men waited. 

Sarah double parked behind two cars and threw the vehicle into park. She didn't even bother to turn off the engine before she leapt out and sprinted toward Chuck, signaling to Casey to watch the girls. Heading straight at her fiancé like a laser guided missile, she crashed into him, nearly tackling him to the ground and kissed him hard. It was a fevered, desperate kiss, like the two of them stood before a ticking time bomb and this was the way she wanted them to go out together. Finally ending the kiss, she pulled him into a fierce hug and held him close as he gently wrapped his arms around her. 

After a moment, she leaned back and placed her hands on his face and stared directly into his eyes. "Are you okay?" 

"Yes, I'm fine," he smiled, trying to relieve her anxiety. She searched his eyes for any sign of prevarication. Convinced he was telling the truth, she stepped away from him and went to Fred and Curtis. Placing a hand first on Fred's face and then on Curtis' she asked them the same question. They assured her that they were fine and were ready to eat again. She smiled at that, finally convinced that they were, indeed, okay. 

While Sarah was checking on the boys, Chuck climbed into the van and pulled it into a regular parking space and turned off the engine. Lisa helped Megan out of her booster seat and then all the girls piled out into the parking lot and walked toward the rest of the group. 

"Chuck, why don't you and Morgan take the kids in and get them some food. I need to speak with Casey for a minute." 

He nodded. Morgan led the way back into the restaurant and Chuck brought up the rear. Sarah took Casey's arm and pulled him over to the window and positioned herself so she could keep an eye on Chuck and the kids. "Casey, what the hell happened?" she hissed, looking over his shoulder at the family and then back to her partner. 

"Simmer down, Walker. Everything is under control." She stared hard at him, waiting for him to explain. "There was a bomb buried in a planter just under Bartowski's office window." 

She gasped, "A bomb?" 

Casey nodded. "I just got off the phone with Agent Barker. The bomb squad defused and removed it. It didn't have a timer and was set up to detonate remotely, so apparently whoever put it there was going to set it off when they were good and ready." 

"If it was under the office window, Fulcrum must be thinking that if they can't get Project Sun Ray, nobody gets it." 

"Yeah, and it would have blown a pretty big hole in the side of the house." He looked at her. "It would have been bad." 

Her stomach flipped at the thought. "Do the kids know about any of this?" 

"No, we just told them to get in the car. Bartowski's smart. He keeps a backup of the software on a thumb drive." He pulled it out of his pocket and showed it to her. "I grabbed it out of his safe before we left." 

She nodded and let out a breath. Thankfully, Casey was thinking about the project, but honestly, she couldn't care less about the software right now. She was more upset that her assets – her family – could have been hurt or worse. In reality, she realized she wasn't just upset, she was also furious. She was so mad, as a matter of fact, that she nearly spat nails. "So help me, Casey, when I get my hands on that Fulcrum mole…" she stopped and her eyes flashed. "I was going to say, 'He'll wish he was dead,' but I have orders to go one step further." She glanced over Casey's shoulder again and said in a low, frightening voice, "I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch mole. Nobody messes with my family." 

~ O ~

The rest of the evening was like a whirlwind. All seven kids ate dinner, including the boys who stuffed themselves again, although Sarah was too stressed and upset to eat. Seating eleven people together was impossible so the family was spread out all over the restaurant. Casey sat at one table with Martie, Curtis and Lisa. Morgan sat with Fred and Bridget. Sarah and Chuck sat with Megan and Lizzie. Although she sat there with them, she wasn't really present as she had gone into agent mode, watching them all and protecting the lives of her assets. 

Once they received the okay to go back to the house from the bomb squad, who had also swept the inside of the structure before they left and found it clear, they returned home and Sarah started to relax. They all sat together in the living room with Chuck and Sarah next to each other on the couch. She nearly sat in his lap and clutched his hand in both of hers. His arm rested across her shoulders and held her close to his side. The family was finally together in one place and she listened as the girls told the guys about their trip to the bridal shop in Denver. She even managed to laugh when Lizzie and Lisa described Bridget's masterful handling of Amanda, the bridal shop woman. 

Amusement and pride shone on Chuck's face when they told how Bridget knew exactly which dress was perfect for Miss Sarah before she ever tried it on. She felt him tense with excitement when Martie and Megan said with awe in their voices how Miss Sarah looked like a princess when she wore it. The first genuine smile of the evening crossed her face when she admitted quietly, "When I put it on, it felt like magic. It's actually really pretty." 

Bridget frowned, "Of course it's pretty, Miss Sarah. I wouldn't let you get it if it wasn't. 

Sarah chuckled. "You're right, sweetie." Bridget smiled, mollified. 

"What about the rest of you girls," Morgan asked. "Did you find dresses, too?" 

Bridget nodded, "We did, but not at the bridal shop. We would have to have them made if we bought them there and there isn't enough time." 

"So we went to the formals department of a department store and bought matching dresses," Lisa explained. 

"They're actually homecoming dresses," Lizzie added. 

"I bet Lizzie hopes Wolf will ask her to the homecoming dance and she can wear it again," Fred teased. 

Lizzie glared at her brother, "Shut it, Fred." 

"And Megan and I got our dresses there, too," Martie said quietly. Megan grinned and nodded. 

"I'm surprised you were able to get so much done in just a few hours," Chuck commented. 

Sarah looked at Bridget and said, "Well, because of Bridget, we got done at the bridal shop quickly and the department store was on the way out of town. It all came together perfectly." Bridget beamed with pride after hearing how she was so important in how the day worked out. 

"So what did you guys do here?" Lisa asked. "Did you get the second gaming system set up?" 

Fred beamed, "We sure did and it's awesome! Do you want to see it?" 

All the kids, and Morgan, shouted their affirmations, jumped up from their seats and took off towards the TV room. Within a minute, the sound of video gunfire was blasting and shouts of warning were heard. 

Casey stood and handed the thumb drive back to Chuck and said, "Put this back where it belongs, Bartowski. It's been a long day and I'm going home. Barker and Cole are on watch." Chuck stood, took the drive and then shook Casey's hand. "Thank you, John." 

Casey looked him square in the eye and said, "You're welcome, Chuck." 

Chuck sat down again and Sarah started to get up to walk Casey to the door, but he stopped her. "Don't get up, Walker. I can see myself out." She wanted to give him a hug of thanks, but she knew that kind of thing made him uncomfortable, so she simply said, "Thanks, John, for everything today." He nodded, turned and headed for the door. 

When the front door closed behind Casey, Sarah let out a sigh. She stood and walked over to the fireplace, her back to Chuck. She stopped before it and gazed down at the cold, gray ashes that had once been aglow with warm, red embers. Wrapping her arms around herself, she said sadly to the ashes, "I failed you today, Chuck. I'm sorry." 

" _What?_ " She could hear the shock in his voice, but she didn't turn around. 

"I wasn't here today when you needed me the most," she explained dejectedly. Her throat burned when she added, "Graham and Beckman are right. I've let my personal life get in the way of protecting you. I left you today to get a dress for the wedding. I promised I wouldn't let the wedding get in the way of your security and it has. I'm sorry, Chuck, but I think we need to postpone the wedding until the Fulcrum threat is neutralized. It's the only way for me to focus my full attention on your safety." 

He was quiet for a moment and she could feel his eyes on her back. Tears escaped as she waited for his response. "Before we make a decision like that, can I ask you a couple of questions?" 

Still staring down at the gray ashes, she sniffed and nodded but said nothing. 

"Who ordered the sweep of the backyard?" he asked in a gentle voice. 

"I did." 

"Why?" 

"Because I wanted to make sure the outside of the house and the yard were secure as well as the inside." 

He nodded. "Would the bomb have been found if you hadn't ordered the outdoor sweep?" 

She shrugged. "Maybe. Probably not." She shuddered at the idea of it being discovered by one of the kids. 

"How many agents were protecting me today?" he asked quietly. 

She sighed and answered, "Five." 

"Uh-huh. And how many were with you today?" 

"None. It was just me." 

Finally, he stood and moved behind her, putting his arms around her and pulling her close to his chest. "So, because of your order to sweep the yard, a bomb was discovered and removed. Also because of the protocols you set up, I was removed from a dangerous situation in a quick and orderly fashion." 

She shrugged. She understood the point he was trying to make, but she still felt like she had let him down. "But I wasn't the one to take to you safety, Chuck. It should have been me." 

He hugged her tighter. "Why? Are you the only person who can keep me safe? Casey's done a pretty good job of it, too." 

"He's a great agent," she acknowledged. 

She could feel his head move right next to hers. He said in a soft voice, "When you first came here, you asked me to trust you. I did then and I do now, implicitly. Even when you're not right here next to me, I trust that you've made all the necessary arrangements to ensure my security." 

Turning around in his arms, she still couldn't look into his face. Instead, she stared at his chest and fingered one of the buttons of his shirt. 

"That's just it, Chuck. With the wedding coming up so quickly, I feel like I can't concentrate on your protection as much as I should. What about the wedding? How will I keep you safe?" 

He kissed her forehead and said, "You just said that Casey is a great agent. Let him take over setting up the security for the wedding." Still staring at his button, she started to respond, but his finger on her lips stopped her words. "I know, you're team lead and you take that responsibility very seriously." She nodded. "Let Casey figure out what he wants to do and then have him run it past you." 

The hopelessness she had been feeling began to fade. Finally looking fully into his face, she said, "You know, that's a good idea." Then she smirked, "Are you prepared to have our wedding guests go through metal detectors and full body searches?" 

She watched his face relax as his smile grew. "I don't care if there are snipers on the roof and bomb sniffing dogs patrolling the perimeter during the wedding." His face became serious when he said, "I don't want to postpone it, Sarah." 

She didn't respond, but gazing into his face, her resolve was quickly fading. _Now why did I want to postpone the wedding?_

He popped an eyebrow and added, "As it is, I can hardly wait another three weeks to see you in your wedding dress. I bet you look gorgeous in it." 

She chuckled and admitted, "You know, I never thought I would say this, but…I felt like a princess." 

"I knew it was every little girl's dream to be a princess, even one who grew up to be a spy." He chuckled and added, "Although I know of one little girl whose dream is to be Spy Barbie." 

She pushed him playfully on the chest. "Why can't we be both?" 

"Who said you aren't?" The kiss he gave her caused her knees to literally buckle. She felt a smile grow on his lips as he kissed her deeper and held her up. _These next three weeks can't go by fast enough._

~ O ~

As it turned out, the three weeks leading up to the wedding went by so quickly, Sarah wasn't sure how they managed to get everything set up in time. Chuck worked diligently on Project Sun Ray and she still had the kids to get to and from school, have her wedding dress altered, and assess the heightened security arrangements and extra background checks on the guests. It was Morgan who had stepped in and really helped out with many of the last minute details. During his stay at the house, Morgan had become her friend as well as Chuck's. Concerned for his job since he had been with them for so long, she asked him how he could be away from Burbank without some kind of repercussions. 

"I've been working remotely." He smiled ruefully. "I don't think anyone has even noticed I've been gone." 

The day before the wedding, the event rental company set up the tent, tables and chairs for the reception as well as lined up the chairs, arbor and small platform where the minister would marry Chuck and Sarah. The wedding rehearsal the night before went without a hitch, except for groans of protest from the boys when Fred realized that, at the end of the ceremony, he would have to walk down the aisle with Lisa on his arm and that Curtis would have to walk out with Bridget. The girls were hurt and the boys continued to complain until Casey marched over and scowled down at them. In his most intimidating voice, he said, "Be nice to your sisters." Both boys swallowed hard and nodded nervously. They were very picture of compliance after that. 

Knowing that Sarah wanted to try to be as traditional as possible, Chuck floated the idea of him staying with Casey's at his condo the night before the wedding. That notion, however, was quickly shot down by Sarah. There was no way she was letting Chuck off the property, so the custom of them not seeing each other at all on the day of the wedding wasn't going to be followed. 

The morning of the wedding dawned to clouds. Chuck and Sarah enjoyed their regular coffee routine, relating to each other how surprised they were at how well they slept considering their excitement, although each admitted to having a slight bout of nerves. 

The clouds of the morning gave way to the sun as the day wore on. By afternoon the sun shone brightly as the backyard became a hive of activity as the flowers and cake arrived and the caterer began to set up. Sarah couldn't help but smile and feel an eternal debt of gratitude as Morgan, who had become their de facto wedding planner complete with clipboard, handled each new vendor with aplomb. 

Finding herself suddenly free of responsibilities, she decided to go outside and do a little reconnaissance work. She needed to get out of the house anyway since it was a little too early to get ready and she found it impossible to be still. 

She went down the back steps and wandered over to where the chairs were set up in the middle of the backyard where the ceremony would take place. Workers were putting up the arched white lattice arbor where in just a couple of hours she and Chuck would get married. It all suddenly seemed so surreal. 

Ever the vigilant spy, she caught the faint smell of cigar smoke. Scanning the tree line around the backyard, she was surprised to see Chuck and Casey sitting in the gazebo together. I wonder what that's about. 

~ O ~

Chuck had also found it impossible to be still for any length of time and decided to go out into the backyard and check on the preparations. He had barely stepped off the bottom stair when he heard his name called. Looking around he saw Casey striding toward, a large cigar in his mouth, blue smoke billowing behind him. 

"Bartowski, I need to talk to you," Casey said. 

Chuck felt a surge of panic. "What, Casey? Is there another – " He was about to say, "bomb," but didn't want to utter the word with so many people around. 

Casey squinted at him. "There's no problem. Relax. I just want to talk to you for a minute. Privately." Without another word, Casey headed off across the grass toward the gazebo. 

Chuck had to jog to catch up to Casey and did so just as the large man entered the gazebo and sat down on one of the benches. Chuck went to sit next to him, but upon hearing the growling sound Casey made, he quickly changed directions and sat on the bench directly across from him. 

Casey sat ramrod straight, hands on knees, cigar between his fingers, blue eyes piercing through Chuck. Feeling like he had just been sent to talk to the principal, Chuck gulped and waited. 

Casey took a puff from his cigar and stared unblinking at Chuck. Finally, he spoke. "You know that Walker asked me to walk her down the aisle today. This is an honor I take very seriously. Her dad's not here to speak on her behalf, so it's my job to let you know that if I find out you ever do anything to hurt Sarah in any way, shape, matter or form, you'll be singing soprano. Capiche?" 

Chuck nodded nervously. Wanting to set Casey's mind at ease, Chuck started, "Casey, you have to know how much I adore Sarah and would never do anything – " 

The hardened NSA agent raised the hand that held the cigar to stop the rambling. "Yeah, yeah, you love her, but don't do dumb guy things like forget your anniversary or her birthday or, I don't know," he waved his hand in frustration, "do stuff that doesn't make her feel special and crap like that." 

Chuck was tempted to smile at Casey's attempt at discussing feelings of any kind, but not wanting to poke the bear with a stick, kept his face suitably somber and nodded slowly. 

"Good. Then we won't have any problems." He took another puff from his cigar, the smoke swirling around his head making him look rather sinister. Chuck suddenly felt like he was about to get an offer he couldn't refuse. "Just so you know, Bartowski, when this mission is over and I'm not around here all the time I'll still have eyes and ears keeping track of you. They belong to a certain seven-year-old who never misses a thing." 

This time, Chuck did laugh, because he knew Casey was right. Martie would tell Casey anything he wanted to know. "Casey, you have my permission to come here and kick my butt if it gets back to you that I've hurt Sarah in any way, shape, matter or form. Okay?" 

Casey stuck the cigar in his mouth and nodded once. "Okay." 

~ O ~

From a distance, Sarah watched her partner and her fiancé conferring in the gazebo. She wasn't sure what to do with herself, so she stood still, watching the set up for the wedding carry on around her. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed three individuals heading for her. Turning toward the approaching figures, her jaw dropped when she realized that General Diane Beckman stood before her wearing a lovely business suit, her hair in a tight chignon, obviously dressed for a wedding. 

"General Beckman!" she cried, bending forward to give the tiny woman a hug. "What are you doing here?" Sarah was nearly brought to tears when she realized that someone besides Casey would be at the wedding from her "world." 

The general smiled. "Major Casey wanted to ensure you had enough security during the wedding, so he asked me if I could come today and bring a couple of extra agents along," motioning with her head to her left and right. Standing like sentries just a few feet away from them were two of the largest agents Sarah had ever seen. "Agents Tom and Jerry are excellent bodyguards." 

Eyeing them, Sarah responded, "I'm sure they are, General. Thank you." Sarah indicated a chair in the back row of the seating and said, "Please, sit down." 

The general sat and Sarah sat down sideways in a chair, facing her. "I'm so glad you're here, ma'am." 

"I'm very glad to be here," Beckman said. Turning slightly toward Sarah, she asked, "So you're really going to go through with this?" 

Sarah was taken aback by the question. "Yes, of course. I can't imagine my life without Chuck." 

"You've only known him a short time, Sarah." Beckman's face was stern, but it was so with concern, not malice. "Are you sure you're in love with Chuck? That this isn't just infatuation?" 

Sarah chuckled. "With all due respect, General, I'm not a teenager. I've dated and been in relationships before. I can assure you, I've _never_ felt like this about anyone before. Sometimes when I'm around him," thinking about him made her pause, "I can hardly breathe." 

The general listened intently and nodded. "I'm glad to hear that." Gently, she said, "There are some who use the CIA and NSA as an escape. By becoming someone else, they don't have to deal with their own problems. Over the years, bit by bit, they lose their humanity, they lose themselves. When I met you at the abbey, I thought - I was afraid - you were one of these people. I'm glad I was wrong. Being here with Chuck and his children, you've shown that you have a great capacity to love." 

"I know this may mean the end of my career at the CIA. That I can't serve any more…" 

Beckman shook her head vehemently. "Having a life with Chuck and his family doesn't mean you can't still serve in other ways. Sarah, you are an excellent agent and I will do everything in my power to make sure you stay will the agency when this mission is over, that is if you want to remain, given your new roles here." 

"Thank you, General," Sarah answered. "I really don't know what –" 

Beckman raised her hand to stop her. "I'm not expecting an answer right now or particularly, soon, for that matter. I just wanted to let you know I'll be in your corner in case Director Graham has another one of his hissy fits at you." 

Sarah smiled, relieved. "Thank you, General. For everything. You have no idea how much you being here today means to me." 

The general smiled. "I think I do." 

Movement from the gazebo caused Sarah to turn her head. She saw Chuck and Casey exiting the gazebo where they stopped, shook hands and then conferred again. 

Realizing that she needed to leave, she said, "General, I need to get upstairs and get ready. Please excuse me." 

"Of course. Go." 

With that, Sarah stood and hurried across the grass and back up the stairs into the house, out of earshot of a chuckling General Beckman. 

~ O ~

Even though Sarah was completely fine with Chuck and her seeing each other before the wedding, she was adamant that he would not see her in her wedding dress until Casey walked her down the aisle. She tried to be involved with helping the girls get ready, but Lizzie, Lisa and Bridget insisted that they had everything under control and would help the two younger ones. 

Sarah had just finished her hair and makeup and was about to step into her dress when she simply stopped and stood, staring at it laid out on her bed. _Oh my god, I'm getting married._ She found herself pacing, shaking her hands out as if trying to air dry them. _What is wrong with me?_ She took a deep breath, attempting to calm her nerves. Just then there was a soft knock on the door and Sarah heard Lizzie's voice ask, "Miss Sarah, can we come in?" 

"Yes, come on in," she replied. 

The door opened slowly and in stepped her five girls. Tears sprung to her eyes when she saw how lovely they all were. Lizzie, Lisa and Bridget wore matching strapless steel blue dresses with light gray sashes around the middle. The hems hit them just above their knees and they wore matching pumps which, judging from her constant glances, were the most thrilling things Bridget had ever worn. Martie and Bridget wore white cotton dresses with sashes that matched the older girls' outfits. 

"You girls look beautiful," Sarah said, her voice cracking with emotion. 

"Miss Sarah!" Lizzie cried, "You need to get your dress on. People are going to start arriving soon." Lizzie picked the dress off the bed and she and Lisa helped slide it on over Sarah's head. Lizzie zipped up the back and Sarah turned and looked in the mirror. She sighed happily, as did the other five girls in the room. It fit perfectly. 

Turning away from the mirror, she asked, "How's it going down there?" 

Lizzie chuckled and said, "Uncle Chuck is all dressed and looks really nice, but he can't sit still. He walks around in circles, looks up here to your closed door and then walks around in circles some more." 

That made her feel better about her own case of nerves which were now almost gone. 

"The boys want to complain about wearing suits and ties, but if they say anything, Mr. Casey glares at them and they stop," Martie reported. 

Lisa laughed, "I think Uncle Morgan is in the wrong business. He really should be a wedding planner." 

They all giggled at that. 

"There are four really big guys in dark suits standing where the people will walk in. And two more by the chairs," Megan said. "They kind of look like Mr. Casey, only bigger and scarier." 

Sarah knelt down and took Megan's hand. "Don't be scared. They're here to keep us all safe." 

The little girl's eyes grew wide. "Are _they_ spies, too?" 

Sarah nodded. "They're a part of my and Mr. Casey's team." 

"Good. I like them, then," Megan stated. 

There was another knock on the door and Bridget, who was closest to it opened it a crack to see who was there. "It's Uncle Morgan. Can he come in?" 

"Sure," Sarah replied. 

Bridget opened the door just enough for Morgan to sneak through and then closed it again. He was looking at his clipboard and said, "Okay, Sarah, some of the guests are starting to arrive and the minister is here." Glancing at his watch, he said, "The wedding starts at six o'clock, so I'll have Chuck –" He stopped mid-sentence when he finally looked at her. "Oh, Sarah…" he said in awe. 

She couldn't help the pleased feeling that overcame her. She smiled and said, "Morgan, you were saying?" 

He blinked a couple of times and grumbled under his breath, "Lucky bastard." He checked his clipboard again and cleared his throat. "As I was saying," he said officiously, causing the girls to giggle, "I'll send Casey up here to get you and the girls just before Chuck, the boys and I walk out to the front." 

They all nodded their understanding. 

"Just like last night, right, ladies?" Morgan asked the girls. 

"Right," they answered in unison. 

He gave them a thumbs up and then scooted out the door. 

Sarah moved her engagement ring to the ring finger of her right hand. "Lizzie, do you have Uncle Chuck's ring?" 

Lizzie stuck up her thumb to show her the gold band and said with a grin, "Right here!" 

Sarah breathed a sigh, "Good." She looked around at the girls and said, "And now we wait." 

~ O ~

Morgan had just sent Casey upstairs to get Sarah and the girls. Chuck, who continued to have trouble standing still, heard Morgan announce, "Okay, buddy, it's time. Just like we practiced last night. You can DO this!" Morgan pumped his fists and sounded more like he was getting Chuck ready for a football game then his wedding. 

Chuck took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Do you have the ring?" he asked. Morgan held up his hand to show Sarah's ring on his pinkie. Chuck smiled and relaxed ever so slightly. 

Morgan moved next to him and said quietly, "Dude, you should see her. Wow!" 

He smiled. "Really? I mean, I'm not surprised, but… really?" 

"Yeah, man, really." 

The nerves he had been battling the last hour vanished. "Well, then, what are we waiting for? Let's get out there!" He looked at Fred and Curtis. "You guys ready?" 

"Yeah, we're ready." Fred stepped forward and put a hand on his uncle's shoulder. "We're really happy for you, Uncle Chuck." Curtis smiled and nodded. 

Chuck grinned. 

He followed Morgan out the doors to the balcony and down the stairs, smiling when he saw the railings covered with gardenias. The string quartet they hired played in the background as they made their way to the front of the gathering. Chuck noticed that there were only a few open seats, meaning that most of the forty or so people they had invited were in attendance. He felt all eyes on him as he stood at the front next to the minister, Morgan on the other side of him, then Fred and Curtis. He stood as still as he could, consciously trying not of fidget, his hands clasped nervously in front of him. Strangely, his tongue felt like it was three sizes too big for his mouth. He looked back up to the stairs he had just descended and waited. 

The music of the string quartet changed and the door to the house opened. Bridget walked out, a huge smile on her face, carrying a small bouquet of gardenias and came down the stairs. When she reached the bottom, Lisa emerged and followed her sister. Lizzie was next down the stairs. Chuck was overwhelmed as he watched his girls walk toward him, each in their own way, looking like their mother. Unbidden tears sprang to his eyes when he realized how much he missed Ellie and Devon; how he wished they were here. 

Chuckles and awws tore him from his thoughts. A huge grin grew when he saw Martie and Megan descend the stairs and walk toward him, each carrying a basket of flowers. His eyes were on his youngest two, so he didn't notice when Sarah and Casey stepped out onto the balcony and descend the stairs. Only when the music changed to the opening strains of the "Wedding March" did he see her standing there about to start down the aisle toward him. 

He thought he heard people snickering at him, but didn't know for sure since all he could hear was his pulse pounding in his ears. He forced himself to close his mouth when he realized that it was hanging open. The woman he had fallen in love with smiled, only at him, and its impact nearly knocked him off his feet. 

She was a vision of elegance and simplicity, wearing a perfectly fitted strapless white satin dress, sans train. The top hugged to her waist and then gently flowed over her hips and fell to the top of her shoes. From the top of the bodice to the hem was one long clean line. The only ornamentation was a web of intricate silver lace, pearls and crystals that layered over the bodice. She wore her hair down and it fell around her shoulders, the soft curls framing her face. She wore very little jewelry other than a pair of diamond stud earrings, a short necklace that complimented the lacework of the bodice and her engagement ring, now on her right hand. 

The guests rose to their feet when Sarah and Casey started slowly down the aisle toward him. Even if he wanted to, he couldn't take his eyes off of her. Her eyes never left his. 

It all seemed so surreal. _How did I get so lucky that I'm marrying this incredible woman?_

~ O ~

Sarah walked slowly down the aisle on Casey's arm, her eyes never leaving Chuck's. It all seemed so surreal. _How did I get so lucky that I'm marrying this incredible man?_

She and Casey reached the small platform and stopped. Chuck moved and stood next to her. She turned slightly to Casey who kissed her on the cheek and then moved to an empty seat just behind him and off to the side. Chuck leaned toward her and whispered, "Wow! You… you look beautiful." 

She didn't say anything, but winked at him, causing him to grin. His smile removed any remaining nerves she had been feeling and replaced them with excitement. I'm really marrying this man! 

The minister welcomed the guests and asked them to be seated. Sarah handed her bouquet to Lizzie, took Chuck's hand and they climbed together the two steps to stand in front of the minister. At his instruction, they faced each other and held each other's hands. 

The minister said in a mellifluous voice, "Chuck, will you have Sarah to be your wedded wife, to live together in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, honor her and keep her, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others remain loyal to her as long as you both shall live?" 

Without a moment's hesitation, he answered, "I will." 

The minister then turned to Sarah and said, "Sarah, will you have Chuck to be your wedded husband, to live together in the holy estate of matrimony? Will you love him, comfort him, honor him and keep him, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others remain loyal to him as long as you both shall live?" 

She squeezed his hands and said, "I will." 

The minister then spoke about love, commitment and some other things that she was sure were very moving. She heard none of them as all she could think about was Chuck. 

~ O ~

Chuck was staring into Sarah's eyes not paying any attention to anything the minister was saying. He was trying to wrap his brain around the idea that he was standing there with Sarah in front of a minister, actually getting married. 

He finally tuned back into what was going on when he heard the minister say his name. Apparently it was time for him to say his vows. 

He took a deep breath and started to speak, "Sarah, I'm grateful every moment for the day you came into my life. I'm the luckiest guy in the world." Tears threatened when he saw Sarah's eyes fill, but he cleared his throat and kept going. "I promise to always love you, always take care of you, always support you and always be by your side no matter where life takes us. I give myself only to you, Sarah, as long as we both shall live." 

"Very good," the minister whispered. 

~ O ~

Sarah wasn't sure how she was going to speak, the way Chuck was looking at her, the way her heart was pounding. When she felt his hands squeeze hers, she smiled and said, "Chuck, you've opened up a world to me that I never knew existed. I'm the luckiest girl in the world." She paused and looked deep into his eyes. "I promise to always love you, always support you, always take care of you, always protect you," he smiled at those words, "and always be by your side no matter where life takes us. I give myself only to you, Chuck, as long as we both shall live." She gave him a happy and relieved smile. 

"Excellent," the minister murmured. He looked out to the guests and said, "Chuck and Sarah have symbols of their commitment to each other they would like to exchange. Chuck?" he prompted. 

Chuck turned toward Morgan who handed him Sarah's ring. He turned back to her and took her left hand. As he slipped the ring on her finger, he said, "With this ring, a symbol of the promises I have made to you today, I marry you." 

She watched the ring slide onto her finger as he said the words. As much as she wanted to stop and hug him right there on the spot, she still needed to give Chuck his ring. 

"Sarah?" the minister said quietly. 

She didn't even need to turn around as Lizzie had the ring for her uncle right by Sarah when she turned her head. Sarah couldn't help but chuckle at the teen's eagerness. Lizzie flashed a grin. 

Holding Chuck's hand, she placed the ring on his finger and said, "With this ring, a symbol of the promises I have made to you today, I marry you." 

They held each other's hands again, relieved and grinning. 

"In as much as Chuck and Sarah have made solemn promises to each other and have exchanged symbols of these promises in the form of rings, by the power vested in me by the state of Colorado, I now pronounce you husband and wife." Chuck looked to the minister who winked at him, leaned forward and stage whispered, "You may kiss the bride." Soft laughter from the guests was heard. 

Sarah's stomach flipped when Chuck gently took her in his arms and brought his lips to hers. It was a tender, loving kiss that sealed their commitments to each other. The kiss broke, but Sarah couldn't help herself and gave him another, deeper kiss, much to his and their audience's apparent delight, before they turned and faced their guests. They clasped hands and Lizzie handed Sarah her bouquet. The minister paused for dramatic effect before he announced, "And now it gives me great pleasure to introduce to you, Chuck and Sarah Bartowski!" 

Everyone clapped and cheered. Even Agents Vegas, Barstow, Cole and Barker, strategically positioned around the backyard, smiled as Chuck and Sarah walked, hand in hand, down the aisle, beaming and acknowledging their guests. Following closely behind them was Morgan and Lizzie, who held Megan's hand, Fred and Lisa, who held Martie's hand, and finally Bridget and Curtis. Near the stairs, hugs with all the kids were shared and giant smiles of relief spread on every one of their faces. 

Megan yanked on Chuck's pant leg, clearly wanting to ask him a question. He picked her up and she asked, "So now what happens?" 

"Well, we have some pictures taken. Then we eat some barbeque, dance and have cake." 

Megan's eyes lit up. "There's cake?" 

"Of course there's cake! It's like you've never been to a wedding before!" Chuck teased, tickling her. 

"I haven't," she squealed, wiggling until he was forced to put her back on her feet on the grass. 

Morgan, fully ensconced as the wedding planner, had already herded the guests into the tent and announced that the food would be served shortly. 

The wedding photographer worked swiftly as the natural light was fading. Chuck's and Sarah's pictures were done first and quickly. The larger group photos began to go slower as the kids were impatient, squirmy and hungry. The photographer shot Casey a grateful smile when he stood off to the side, letting his presence be known to all seven of the children who suddenly became the most obedient kids in the world. Sighs of relief were heard when the last formal photo was taken. 

At first there were groans when the kids were told they would have to be introduced as they entered the tent, but when it was explained that they got to get their food first, they couldn't be introduced fast enough. 

Chuck and Sarah stood just outside the tent, waiting for their turn to enter. "Do you feel any different?" he asked. 

She grinned and nodded, "Relieved and happy. How about you?" 

"I've never been happier in my life. I love you," he said as he wrapped her in his arms and kissed her fervently just as they were being introduced by the DJ. All eyes turned to find them locked in a passionate embrace. The whistles, hoots and hollers finally forced them to part. Sarah held tightly to Chuck's hand and he grinned, unabashed as they walked into the tent to cheers and applause. 

The boys wanted to be the first in line for the food, but Casey's hands rested firmly on their shoulders until Chuck, Sarah and the girls had gone. They were also gently admonished to remember that there were forty other people that needed to eat too, so they had to wait for seconds until everyone else was served. 

Now that the ceremony was over, Sarah relaxed and actually ate for the first time all day. She noticed that Chuck pounded down his food like he hadn't eaten in a week. As soon as they both finished with dinner, they decided it was a good time to make the rounds and greet their guests. They moved from table to table chatting, accepting congratulatory handshakes and hugs and posing for pictures. Sarah was surprised to find that she knew more people than she expected. 

"Chuck, Miss Sarah," Mrs. Smith said, "I'm so happy for you both." To Sarah she said, "If he wasn't going to marry my niece, I'm glad he married you." 

Fighting off a giggle, Sarah said sincerely, "Thank you, Mrs. Smith. I'm glad he married me, too." 

They moved to the table where the kids' teachers sat, greeting each one. There was one person at the table, however, that wasn't a teacher. 

"Chuck, guess who came today," Sarah laughed. When a tiny woman stood and turned around, he was shocked. Not wanting to add to Chuck's pre-wedding jitters, the general had made sure that he had not seen her before now. 

"Gen-, Ms. Beckman!" he cried, stooping to give the woman a hug. "What are you-? How did you-?" 

"I've been getting to know these fine educators here. Your children are lucky to have such a wonderful group of dedicated teachers working with them." The teachers at the table obviously appreciated the kind words the general spoke. 

"If you'll excuse us," the general said to the others at the table as she moved away so they could confer more privately. Chuck and Sarah followed the general outside into the chilly evening air. 

"General, I know that Project Sun Ray isn't finished yet," Chuck said nervously, "and I promised it would be finished soon, but – " 

"Relax, Chuck," Beckman interrupted, smirking. "I'm not here in a completely official capacity. I hope you don't mind that I crashed your wedding, but since I feel somewhat responsible for getting you two together, I figured you wouldn't mind." 

"Oh, no! We're so glad you're here," Sarah said happily. 

Chuck's smile became unsure when he asked, "If you don't mind my asking, in what official capacity are you here? Is Director Graham here, too?" 

Beckman snorted. "No, he's not here. I don't think he ever leaves his office." 

Chuck and Sarah shared a knowing grin. 

"As I told your lovely bride before the wedding, Major Casey wanted to ensure that there was enough security during the wedding, so he invited me to the ceremony. Of course I had to bring my bodyguards along." Standing like sentries just a few feet away from the entrance of the tent were Agents Tom and Jerry. 

"Wow, General, thank you," Chuck said, the shock of one of his superiors showing up at their wedding still evident on his face. 

"You're clothing is a little different, Sarah, than it was the last time we worked together," the general said with amusement. 

"Well, I guess I wasn't really cut out to be a nun," Sarah laughed in response. 

Chuck smiled, in on the joke since Sarah had told him about her previous mission at the abbey. "I heard you made a fine mother superior." 

"I do look good in black," Beckman deadpanned. "I guess we could say that mission was a success in more ways than one. Learning Fulcrum's plans for you, from the agent Sarah apprehended caused us to send her here, to you." Turning to Sarah, she said, "Maybe that time at the abbey in quiet contemplation prepared you for this." 

"Oh!" Sarah exclaimed quietly. It was so obvious to her now. "I think you're right." 

"Now, I've kept you out here long enough. Go back inside and enjoy your reception." With the utmost respect and sincerity the general added, "Congratulations to you both. You both and your children make a wonderful family." 

Sarah hugged the little woman again, blinking back tears. "Thank you," Sarah whispered. 

"You're welcome, my dear." 

~ O ~

The rest of the evening was a study in tradition. There were toasts and dancing and more toasts and more dancing. There were glasses being tapped and kissing. 

One of the best moments of the night came when General Beckman ordered Major Casey to dance with her. The only thing bigger than their height difference was the amount of discomfort Casey had to endure while dancing with his boss. 

As the time approached for them to cut the cake together, Sarah leaned into Chuck and whispered in his ear, "Fair warning, Mr. Bartowski. If you smash that cake into my face when you go to feed it to me, my agent skills might take over, so don't hold me responsible for my actions." 

His reaction wasn't what she expected. A mischievous look crossed his face and he replied into her ear, "Fine, Mrs. Bartowski. If you're going to play it that way, I'm not responsible for mine." 

When it came time to feed her some cake, Chuck, ever the gentleman, held the piece to her mouth so she could take a small bite. There were happy sighs and applause from the guests. When it was Sarah's turn, she did the same thing for Chuck, only when she went to lick the frosting from her fingers, Chuck grabbed her hand and seductively licked them instead, much like he had done at the bakery. His eyes bored into hers and she couldn't help but let out a low moan. Thankfully, the catcalls and wolf whistles drowned out the sound she made, but the electricity sparking between them was obvious to all. 

Next, it was time for Chuck to toss the garter. He led Sarah to a chair set out in the middle of the dance floor and helped her sit. Kneeling on one knee, he gingerly lifted up bottom of her skirt. Taking a small amount of pity on her new husband, she held the skirt up a little for him. He started to feel his way up her leg and didn't look too nervous as he had only just passed her calf. His face registered a small amount of concern when having just passed Sarah's knee, he hadn't yet reached the garter. The increasingly evil grin on Sarah's face didn't help matters either. 

The higher his hand traveled, the louder the shouts from the guests were. His hand finally touched something, but it wasn't the garter. He fingered it and then his eyes widened in recognition. He jerked his hand away as if he had just touched something red hot. Howls of laughter filled the tent. 

She leaned forward and grabbed his face and pulled it to her so they could talk into each other's ears. 

"Sarah," he whispered loudly, "why didn't you tell me I was putting my hand up the wrong leg?" 

She laughed and whispered back, "And miss the look on your face when you touched the knife strapped to my thigh?" She kissed his ear. "You know you've wanted to since the first day we met." 

"Guilty as charged," he chuckled, leaning back. 

"Now, let's try this again." He ran his hand up her other leg and came to the garter just above her knee. He grinned when he successfully pulled the garment off her leg. Cheers went up from the guests as he held it aloft triumphantly for all to see. 

Bowing to tradition, the single men gathered a little ways away from Chuck and clustered in a group. Included in the group were Morgan, Casey, Fred and Curtis, the latter standing in the rear with his hands shoved deep down into his pants pockets. Turning his back to the group, Chuck took the garter, stretched it and shot it like a rubber band at the men. Not one single man seemed interested in catching the garter, so it flew untouched through the air and landed on Casey's shoulder. 

Sarah wasn't sure if what she saw on Casey's face was a grimace or a small smile, but she was sure there was a grunt that accompanied it. 

Things weren't nearly as eventful when Sarah threw her bouquet, which was caught, much to Chuck's chagrin, by Lizzie. 

The party went well into the evening, but after the garter was tossed and the bouquet was thrown, the guests began to leave and eventually it was just the newlyweds, the kids, Morgan, Casey, the four agents and the DJ who was putting his equipment away left in the tent. 

"Come on, kids, it's late. Time for bed," Chuck called out. There were groans of disappointment which were mitigated somewhat by the promise that they all could sleep in the next morning. Casey went home and Agents Cole and Barker went off duty while Agents Barstow and Vegas returned to the van for the overnight shift. 

Once inside the house, Sarah and the three older girls kicked off their shoes and carried them as they made their way up the stairs. Fred and Curtis had removed their ties and jackets long ago as had Morgan and carried them under their arms. Chuck, however, had stayed in his suit and tie the whole evening. 

Lizzie and Lisa promised Chuck and Sarah that they would help Martie and Megan to bed, so good nights were said as each of the kids headed for their rooms. It was the first time the children saw Chuck and her go into his room together at night and Sarah was a little self conscious. She couldn't help but wonder what it meant when she saw Martie and Megan whispering to each other as Chuck closed their door. 

She had tossed her shoes off to the side of the room and was trying to take off her necklace when Chuck came up from behind. 

"Here, let me," he said, moving her hair to the side so he could get to the clasp. He deftly removed the necklace and leaned in and kissed the back of her neck where the jewelry had previously been. Her whole body tingled as he wrapped his arms around her waist and covered her neck and shoulders with soft kisses. She closed her eyes and relaxed into his embrace. He slowly moved them toward the bed but then stopped just as they reached the foot of it. 

"Sarah?" 

Her brain was already foggy from the wonderful things he was doing to her and it took a minute to register that he had just said something. 

"Hmmm?" she purred. 

"What's that?" he asked, between kisses on her shoulder. 

"What's what?" 

"That – those – that on the bed." 

She reluctantly opened her eyes and looked down at the bed. Lying there, obviously placed with great care, were four pairs of socks – two pairs of men's and two pairs of women's – and a hand written note. She picked up the socks and looked at the stick-on tags. In her very best kindergartener writing, Megan had written on one tag "To Uncle Chuck from Megan" and another pair she had written "To Aunt Sarah from Megan." Martie had prepared similar tags for the other two pairs. 

Sarah set the socks gently down on the bed and picked up the note. She held it so she and Chuck could read it at the same time: 

_"Dear Uncle Chuck and Aunt Sarah,_

_Uncle Morgan and I helped Martie and Megan get these socks for you. They were insistent that they needed to get these for you as presents for your wedding night. We can't explain why since they wouldn't tell us anything about what was going on in those heads of theirs, but they were really excited about it._

_Anyway, happy wedding night._

_Love, Lizzie"_

"We have the best kids in the world," she murmured as she turned around in his arms and gave him a slow, deep, sensual kiss. 

She eventually broke the kiss, took his tie and pulled him down with her onto the bed. As he lay down next to her, he mumbled, "Apparently, it _is_ all about the socks."


	13. Chapter 13

Sarah awoke to the sound of the kids not-so-discreetly shushing and admonishing each other to be quiet so their uncle and new aunt could sleep in. Lying on her side, she scooted back a little to be right up against Chuck, but when she did, something felt strange. There was some kind of material trapped between their bodies which didn't allow for the full skin on skin contact she so craved. She reached down under the covers, took hold of the offending material and pulled it out from between them. A giggle escaped when she realized what she had retrieved was a sock. 

Her snigger awoke Chuck. "What are you laughing at?" he mumbled, pulling her closer. 

"I found a sock," she replied, dangling it so he could see it. 

He chuckled. "So _that's_ what I'm laying on," he said as he yanked at another sock that was pressed between his ribcage and the mattress. He tossed it to the foot of the bed to join the other two there and propped himself up on an elbow. 

Sarah rolled over onto her back, took the sock she had found and flung it around the back of his neck, using it to pull him down to her. She kissed him, holding tightly to both ends of the garment that trapped him to her. 

When she finally lessened the tension on the sock, their kiss broke. "I think Martie and Megan have hit on something with this whole sock thing," she stated. 

"Mm-hmm," he agreed, smiling as he pulled another sock out from under the covers. "You do not want to know where this one was." 

She let out a chortle, tossed her sock to the floor and threw her arms around his neck. They kissed again and soon socks were no longer on their minds. 

It was some time before they finally got out of bed, took a shower, dressed and headed down to the kitchen for breakfast. There they found Lizzie and Lisa sitting at the table doing homework and Morgan drinking coffee. 

"Hey, if it isn't the newlyweds," Morgan called out, grinning. 

"Hey, Morgan," Chuck replied, returning his friend's smile. 

"So, what's the plan for today?" Morgan asked. 

Chuck poured a cup of coffee and handed it to Sarah. Pouring another for himself, he answered, "Well, Sarah and I are apparently leaving after lunch for the airport to go on our honeymoon, but I don't know where we're going." 

Surprised, Morgan said, "Really? You don't know?" 

Chuck shook his head and glanced over to his new wife who only shrugged and looked back at him, attempting to look innocent. 

"Chuck, dude, how did you know what to pack?" Morgan asked. 

"I packed both summer and winter wear." 

Sarah's facial expression never changed, but her eyes twinkled. Unbeknownst to him, she had repacked his bag, making sure his clothes were appropriate for their destination. 

"Thanks for staying with the kids for the week, buddy," he said to Morgan. "You'll be okay with them?" 

"Oh, sure, right girls?" he asked Lizzie and Lisa. 

Lizzie looked up from her algebra and said, "Oh, yeah. Lisa, Bridget and I will help with Martie and Megan." 

"And Mr. Casey will be here, too, so he can keep the boys in line," Lisa added. "He'll sleep in your old room, right, Aunt Sarah?" 

She replied, "I guess so. I moved all my stuff into your Uncle Chuck's room the morning of the wedding, and I'm not sure the basement is… um… close enough to you kids." 

Lizzie and Lisa nodded with understanding and said nothing else. 

"Are you sure Casey needs to be here?" Morgan asked, seemingly a little miffed. "I mean, I think I can handle the kids and everything by myself." 

"I'm sure you can," Chuck replied quickly, his eyes shifting to Sarah and then back to Morgan. "It's just that, ah, Casey needs something to keep him occupied while we're gone and helping with the kids will do that. He is my personal assistant, but he's certainly not going on our honeymoon." 

Sarah took a sip of her coffee and watched over the rim of her mug, silently waiting for Morgan's response. Glancing over at Lizzie and Lisa, she saw the girls watching Morgan out of the corners of their eyes as well. 

Morgan thought for a moment and then smiled. "Yeah, it's good for the big guy to have some purpose in life, you know? And I guess I could use his help around here for the week." 

Everyone relaxed and Chuck clapped his friend on the back. "That's very generous of you, Morgan." 

"Well, you know. That's how I roll," he stated magnanimously. He grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator and left the kitchen, mumbling to himself about carpool schedules and homework. 

Sarah stretched, and then sat down at the table by the girls and asked, "How are you two? Is everything okay for us to be gone for the week? We'll be back on Friday, but we can come home earlier if you need us to. Right, Chuck?" 

They all looked at him. Leaning against the counter with one foot crossed in front of the other, he was staring at Sarah with a distant but yet very pleased look on his face. He was clearly in his happy place. 

Lizzie giggled and shook her head. 

"Earth to Uncle Chuck," Lisa intoned. "Come in, Uncle Chuck." 

He snapped out of his reverie and focused back on all the ladies smirking at him. A vague, "Hmm? What?" was accompanied by a blush. 

Sarah rested her elbow on the table and her chin in the heel of her palm. Her grin was hidden behind curled back fingers. Watching him, her eyes flashed with delight. She loved how awkward and embarrassed and sexy he was. _He is just so cute when he's all awkward like that._ She wanted to drag him back upstairs right then, but decided against it since it would be a little too obvious and they still needed to finish packing for their trip. 

He cleared his throat and asked, embarrassed, "What was the question again?" 

" _Your wife_ was asking you if it was okay if you came back early from your honeymoon if something came up here at home," Lizzie said with mock exasperation, glancing at Lisa and then shaking her head and rolling her eyes again. Lisa chuckled at her sister. 

"Oh, right. Sure, of course. Whatever," he babbled. He looked to Sarah. "Wait a minute. Will the kids be able to call us?" 

"Of course they'll be able to contact us, Chuck," she answered. "We're not going to the Arctic. I would never take us someplace where we would be completely isolated from them." 

Chuck smiled with relief. Then, looking to Lizzie and Lisa, he said with mock sternness, "Just don't call us every five minutes, okay? Your aunt and I will be busy." He looked over to Sarah and bounced his eyebrows suggestively at her. She winked back at him, causing Lizzie and Lisa to groan in disgust. 

"Get a room," Lizzie snarked, quickly shoving her papers into her book and flipping it closed. Lisa did the same. Jumping from their chairs and nearly knocking them over in their haste, the girls cleared out of the kitchen in fifteen seconds. 

Chuck snickered. "Well, now we know what to do if we ever want to empty a room." 

Sarah nodded and chuckled. "It's weird though. Lizzie didn't seem freaked out at all that one morning she found us together." 

"That's because we were just sleeping." 

Sarah blushed, "Ah, I see. If we had been… otherwise occupied… she would have run screaming from the room?" 

"And yelling, 'My eyes! My eyes! I can't unsee that!'" 

She stood from the table and sauntered over to him. Taking his hands in hers, she put them around her waist and then gently placed her hands on his shoulders. "You know," she said, looking at him slyly, "it's bound to happen sometime, one of the kids… interrupting us." 

His eyes gleamed with inspiration. "We could put a 'do not disturb' sock on the bedroom doorknob." 

Snorting, she said, "Yeah, _that's_ not obvious or anything. Why don't we just lock the door?" 

"Fine, if you want to do it the easy way." 

She pressed him against the counter and pulled him down into a deep, sensuous kiss. Then she moved her lips to his ear and whispered, "Although I'm not sure we'll always be behind closed doors. This counter looks pretty sturdy." 

He swallowed and burbled, "I wa-, do, er, ah…" He stopped and gathered his thoughts as best he could when she stood that close to him. "Sarah, all the kids are here now. And Morgan…" 

She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and stepped back from him. "I'm just messing with you, sweetie," she laughed. Grabbing him by the hand, she pulled him from of the kitchen. He, still rather stunned, stumbled behind her. "Besides, we need to finish packing." She peeked over her shoulder. Chuck looked like he was suffering from whiplash. She stopped them at the staircase and stood on the bottom step facing him so their eye line was level. "Chuck, I would never do anything that would be inappropriate in front of the kids or embarrass you too much in any way." 

He smiled and heaved a sigh of relief. 

"We'll try out the counter when all the kids are at school," she informed him in a low voice. 

She gave him a peck on the lips, grabbed his hand and firmly pulled him up the stairs, Chuck tripping over his feet the entire way. 

~ O ~

Chuck and Sarah met Casey for a quick, closed door meeting in Chuck's office just before they were scheduled to leave for the airport. 

"I can't believe Graham is letting you go on your honeymoon when Project Sun Ray isn't finished," Casey started. 

"He approved our request when I told him that it was ninety-seven percent finished and I needed to run some preliminary tests. It takes time to decrypt encrypted messages and I need to see how the program handles simple encryptions first. Those tests will take all week." Pointing at the computer, Chuck said, "Just don't touch that." 

Casey snorted. "Don't worry. No one is coming in here. Including me." 

Chuck nodded, satisfied with Casey's answer. "Although I _still_ don't know where we're going. This one won't tell me," he complained, pointing to his smiling wife. "I guess I'll just have to trust her to get us there and guide us around." 

"Actually Chuck, I think you'll be the one guiding me," Sarah corrected him. 

"What? Hold on. How is that even possible when I have no clue where we're going? Where _are_ we going?" Chuck sputtered, looking at her for direction. She simply continued to smile and shrugged her shoulders. "Great," he groaned, "most husbands have wives who are just instinctively inscrutable. Mine is _professionally trained_ to be mysterious." 

"Don't forget she can get any of your secrets out of you by using just her pinky finger," Casey added helpfully. 

"Just her pinky finger?' Chuck scoffed. "That's a little hard to –" He broke off as Sarah raised her hand and seductively inserted her pinky finger between her lips. A shudder went through him as she slowly started to suck on it. 

"Not what I had in mind, Walker," Casey said sourly. 

She laughed and dropped her hand, grinning at her husband's slack face. _Poor Chuck,_ she thought. _Broken for at least the third time today and it's barely past noon._

Casey looked to Sarah. "I've been working on Bartowski's security for where you'll be. Plenty of security cameras there covering that small world," he said cryptically. "I'll be reviewing footage daily." 

"Great. That's perfect. Will the agents be in place throughout the area?" 

"Affirmative. I'm no dumbo." 

Coming out of his pinky induced haze, Chuck scowled at this new information. "Wait, there'll be CIA agents following us around on our honeymoon?" 

Suddenly, his wife had a very serious look on her face. "Yes, Chuck, there will be agents guarding you 24/7, just like now. You're significance to this country hasn't changed." 

"Don't be goofy, Bartowski. You won't even notice they're there. This isn't some Mickey Mouse organization. Agents that work for the CIA aren't exactly Tweedle dee and Tweedle dum," Casey said with a smirk. 

Sarah couldn't hold in the snort of laughter. 

Chuck's eyes narrowed at the look that passed between Sarah and Casey. "Please tell me where we're going," he said again, exasperated at being out of the loop. 

She kissed his cheek. "You'll find out soon enough." She stepped back, grabbed his wrist and read the time on his watch. "Shouldn't we get going?" 

His sour mood lifted instantly and flashed a grin. "Yes, right, we need to leave right now." Turning to Casey he asked, "Any last minute questions?" 

The big man grunted, "No. I've lived in the walls of a dictator's compound, hunted warlords and protected heads of state. I think I can handle seven kids." 

Sarah couldn't help but think of her first night at the house as the kids' new nanny. _How much had changed in just a couple of months._

"But why does Grimes need to be here? I can handle this on my own," Casey grumbled. 

The newlyweds shared a look. "Do you want to talk to the girls every day about how school went and what they did with their friends or would you rather have Morgan handle that?" Chuck asked. 

It was the first time Sarah had ever seen her partner even the slightest bit rattled. Chuck had told her that Casey didn't even break a sweat when he got the thumb drive from the safe in his office when there was a bomb just on the other side of the wall. Now, she could see a sheen of perspiration appearing on his forehead. Eyes showing just the smallest hint of uncertainty, he looked at Chuck then to Sarah and then back to Chuck. "Well, I guess it would be okay if he's here. The girls might feel more comfortable talking to Morgan about their girl feelings." 

Chuck smiled and would have patted him on the back, but thought better of it. Instead he simply said, "That's very generous of you, Casey." 

Sticking his thumbs in the waistband of his pants, he replied, "Well, it's the least I can do for the little guy." 

"Thanks, Casey," Sarah said. "And if you need anything – anything at all – call us, okay." 

"Relax, we'll be fine," he groused, unlocking and opening the door. 

It was only a few minutes later that their bags were in Sarah's SUV and they were all by the front door, hugging and saying "good-bye" and "I love you" to the each of the kids. 

Sarah knelt down and hugged Martie and Megan, one in each arm. They both threw their arms around her neck and Megan said, "We're going to miss you, Aunt Sarah." 

She closed her eyes when her vision blurred. "I'm going to miss you both, too. But Uncle Chuck and I are only going to be gone a few days and then we'll all be together again." She felt their heads nod. Their arms released her neck and they looked into her face. 

"Did you get the presents we left on your bed last night?" Martie asked shyly. 

Sarah smiled, "Yes, we did, thank you." She kissed each of her nieces' cheeks. "It was so sweet of you girls to think of us." 

The little girls were very pleased. "So you both liked the socks?" Megan asked expectantly. 

Sarah smiled and nodded. "I think I can speak for Uncle Chuck and say we both liked the socks very much." 

Megan smiled a small, self-congratulating smile, as if there was never a doubt that they wouldn't like their presents. Martie just grinned happily from ear to ear. 

"Now, I know I don't need to remind you to be good for Uncle Morgan and Mr. Casey," Sarah said with a serious voice. 

They both sobered and nodded their head. "Although Lizzie, Lisa and Bridget are going to be the ones taking care of us," Megan reminded her. 

Sarah lean forward and whispered, "Yes, that's true. Just let the guys _think_ they're in charge, okay?" 

The two little girls, now fully understanding their roles during their uncle's and aunt's absence, answered sagely, "Of course, Aunt Sarah." 

Sarah hugged the girls again, stood and took Chuck's hand in hers. She squeezed it and said, "We should go." 

Chuck opened the door and allowed Sarah to step through first. He followed her out and they held hands as they made their way to her car. Sarah handed him the keys and they climbed into her SUV and drove off, waving at the children who waved back and called out their goodbyes. 

~ O ~

They watched Sarah's SUV drive away and suddenly, none of the kids seemed to know what to do with themselves. Their aunt and uncle had been gone for two minutes and they missed them already. 

They stood in the entryway looking at each other as Morgan and Casey had wandered off to the kitchen to eat some leftover wedding cake. 

Lizzie, trying to cheer up her siblings said, "Come on now, let's not be gloomy because they're gone. Let's be happy for them. Think about both of them and what their lives were like just a couple of months ago." 

Starting to understand what Lizzie was trying to say, Fred chimed in, "Yeah, remember how Uncle Chuck always looked like he needed a nap?" That elicited a chorus of agreement. 

"And how Aunt Sarah didn't know anything about being a nanny?" Curtis chuckled. 

"And now they're married!" Lisa laughed with wonder. 

(Sung to the tune "Lonely Goatherd") 

Lizzie: 

Stuck in his room was a lonely code-nerd  
 Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo  
 Sad was the face of the lonely code-nerd  
 Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo 

Lisa: 

Spooks watched the house of the lonely code-nerd  
 Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo   
Groans from the depths of the code-nerd's throat heard   
Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo 

Fred: 

One pretty spy with a flashing smile heard  
 Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo   
She won the heart of the lonely code-nerd  
 Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo 

Bridget: 

Soon her mean boss put the kibosh on her   
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo   
"Don't compromise yourself, pretty spy girl"  
 Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo 

Curtis: 

"It's too late now" the mean boss he then heard  
 Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo   
"I'm staying here with the awesome code-nerd"  
 Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo 

Lizzie: 

Happy are they now that they're together   
Lay ee odl lay ee odl lay hee hoo   
Their love will stand amid any weather  
 Lay ee odl lay ee odl-oo 

All: 

Odl lay ee, old lay ee (odl lay ee)   
Odl lay hee hee, (odl lay hee hee)  
 Odl lay hee (odl lay hee),  
 Odl lay odl lee (odl lay odl lee)  
 Odl lay odl lee (odl lay odi lay)  
 Odl lay odl lee (odl lay odl lay)  
 Odl lay odl lay odl lay 

WHOO! 

Laughing, Lizzie said, "Let's just relax and have fun while they're away, okay?" 

"Okay!" her siblings shouted loudly in response. 

In the kitchen, Morgan asked Casey, "Do we want to know?" 

Just before Casey shoveled a huge forkful of cake into his mouth, he replied, "No." 

~ O ~

"Disney World? We're really going to Disney World? In Florida?" 

She experienced the lightheaded feeling she was quickly becoming addicted to as Chuck grinned at her, eyes shining. Got my smile for the day. "Unless you'd like to do something like wine tasting in the Napa Valley?" 

"Nononono," he shook his head vigorously. "Unless… that's what you want to do? I'll go anywhere with you. Skiing in the Alps, traveling across Europe, going up to Canada… I've packed both summer and winter wear." 

She laughed at her husband's earnestness. "I took the liberty of repacking your clothes. And spending a week at Walt Disney World and staying at the Grand Floridian Hotel sounds awesome, right?" Chuck nodded. "Then that's what we'll do." 

That set off a torrent of facts and figures which she could hardly keep up with. Gradually however, exhaustion from the stress and excitement of the wedding took Chuck over and he fell asleep, head on her shoulder. 

As tired as she was, and as much as she wanted to doze along with her new husband, Sarah forced herself to stay alert and vigilant. Sitting next to him on a plane like that, like any normal newlywed couple on their honeymoon, she had a hard time not completely becoming Sarah Bartowski and shedding all vestiges of her spy life. And although he was her husband, he was also a very important asset to the nation's security and his safety was her paramount responsibility. As such, when they were in public she had no choice but to be Agent Sarah Walker, protector of her asset. This didn't mean she couldn't hold his hand, however, as she looked down at their intertwined fingers. 

A slight bit of turbulence roused Chuck from his nap. He jerked his head up and blinked a couple of times, obviously trying to figure out where he was. He smiled when he saw her. 

"Hey, sleepyhead. Did you have a good nap?" 

He rubbed his eye with a balled up fist, like Megan did when waking from an afternoon snooze. Yawning, he nodded and said, "I had this unbelievable dream that I was married to the most beautiful woman in the world." He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. "Lucky for me, it's not just a dream." 

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Chuck," she purred, leaning in and giving him a kiss. 

His drowsy grin made her give serious, if only fleeting, consideration to them becoming members of the "mile high club". She thought better of it, but couldn't stop the giggle that escaped when she pictured the look on Director Graham's face if she had to explain to him how an agent of the CIA and her asset were found _in flagrante delicto_ in airplane lavatory. 

"What are you giggling at?" 

She leaned in and whispered into his ear what she had just been thinking about, making him blush profusely. "Agent Walker!" he pretended to scolded quietly. His blush faded and was replaced by a lascivious grin. "The lavatory is so impersonal." He scanned the cabin. "First class is almost empty. All we need is a blanket…" he trailed off, grinning. 

This time it was Sarah's turn to blush. "Okay, I deserved that," she laughed. 

They sat silently for a few minutes and then Chuck asked, "Sarah, why are we really going to Disney World? I mean, it's fantastic and I'm excited about it, but you don't seem like the Disney-type to me. You know I would be just as happy going to some place like Paris or Rome with you." 

"Well, I knew it you would love it, and I wanted to do something you would love because I love you." 

His grin took over his whole face. 

"But this isn't just about you. I want to learn." 

The grin faded and he became bemused. "Learn?" 

"I always feel three steps behind you and Morgan and the kids when you talk about movies and pop culture and stuff like that." She shrugged. "I mean, it happens all the time. So I need to learn. I know I won't get everything right away, but I've got to start somewhere." 

"Well, then, you picked the perfect place to start," he smiled. 

A sheepish look flashed across her face when she confessed, "And I've never been to any of the Disney parks. Remember, my childhood wasn't exactly normal." 

She was about to say something else when the flight attendant stopped and asked, "Mr. and Mrs. Charles, is there anything I can get for you?" 

"Oh, no, we're fine, aren't we, Charlie?" she asked, winking at him. She turned back to the flight attendant. "Thank you, though," Sarah replied. 

The woman smiled and then moved on. 

Chuck shook his head and laughed. "I'm not sure I'm going to get used to being called Mr. Charles all week." 

"That alias will keep you safe, sweetie. And you'll get used to it. Trust me," she chuckled. 

"I always have." 

She sighed like a school girl which made him grin again. Wanting to get their conversation back on track, she continued, "Another reason I wanted to go to Disney World is so we can take the kids there on spring break. A trip with seven kids is going to need some advance recon." 

"We're taking the kids?" he asked with surprise. 

She nodded emphatically. "Of course. Like I said, I didn't have a normal childhood and our kids haven't exactly either. Have they ever been to Disneyland or Disney World?" 

His brow furrowed in thought. "I'm not sure. I would assume Ellie and Devon took Lizzie, Fred and Lisa to Disneyland when they were little. They lived in LA after all. Maybe Curtis and Bridget but they would have been so young they probably wouldn't remember even if they had gone. I know for sure that Martie and Megan haven't been." 

"See, that's just it. The two youngest, who would love it the most, haven't been. And let's face it, Lizzie, Fred and Lisa are getting older and won't want to go on 'family vacations' for much longer. So it needs to be this spring break." Her face took on a serious look when she said, "I don't want our kids to miss out on something every child should get to experience. I missed out and it was no fun at all." 

"You're right. Thank you for looking out for them." 

She shrugged, "It's my job." His eyebrow rose. "As their aunt," she clarified. 

He smiled and kissed her cheek. "The way you look out for them and the way they adore you, I think they're going to miss you more than they'll miss me," he teased. "You're such a softie. Who knew that CIA agents have a gooey center?" 

Cocking her head, she frowned a little and did an unsure half-shrug. 

"What?" 

"I'm not… I mean… I should have told you this earlier." Dropping her voice so she could barely be heard over the drone of the airplane noise, she said, "Chuck, in my job – what I do – I've done things I'm not proud of and… I've had to kill people." 

He slid an arm across her shoulders and pulled her closer. "I've always assumed that." She closed her eyes and laid her head against him. "It's part of your job description. You don't exactly work in food service selling frozen yogurt. And Graham called you his best agent. He doesn't come across as being averse to violence" 

His quick acceptance surprised her. "It doesn't bother you?" she whispered. 

He hesitated for a moment, "Yes, it bothers me." He brought his hand up to gently lower her head back down when she started to rise. 

"But I bet it bothers you, too. You're a good person, Sarah, and I'm sure everything you've had to do was necessary for the good of the country. But that doesn't mean you don't sometimes regret what you've had to do or wished there was some other way. Am I right?" 

He felt her nod. "How did you know? Graham, Carina, they've known me for years and they see an agent who does her job, no questions asked." 

"I think you shattered Graham's perception with that kiss you gave me, honey," Chuck replied drily. "And I'm not exactly without my own issues when it comes to this subject." 

Sarah waited for him to continue. 

"The software I'm writing not only encrypts messages but it decrypts them as well. It's going to allow our intelligence agencies to read any and all messages sent by terrorists. When our guys go after them, some of them are going to die. In a sense, I'll probably have more blood on my hands than you in a few months." 

"Yes, but you won't have pulled the trigger." She winced as soon as the words left her mouth. 

"No, that's true, but I know you, Sarah. You wouldn't kill someone unless it was necessary. I have to trust that whoever uses my software has the same sort of judgment." 

"How do you live with it?" she asked softly, stroking his hand with hers. 

He took a breath and sighed. "I have to do something. If my software saves innocent lives and keeps our country safer, how can I not write it?" 

She nodded. "'All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing,' right?" 

"Well, I don't have a fancy Harvard education so I was thinking more along the lines of, 'How we deal with death is at least as important as how we deal with life,' but that works, too." 

She thought over the words for a moment. "That's really very deep, sweetie. Who said that?" 

He smiled sheepishly and answered, "James T. Kirk in _The Wrath of Khan._ " 

Sarah lifted her head, her blue eyes staring back at him uncomprehendingly. 

"Star Trek movie?" he tried. " _Khaaaaaan!_ " he mimicked quietly. "Ricardo Montalban?" 

She only shrugged. _Oh my god, how cute is he?_

Raising one eyebrow, he said in a monotonous voice, "'Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?'" 

Her eyes lit up and she smiled when he said that. "I've seen that movie! Three high school kids play hooky from school for the day." But then her brow furrowed, "I don't remember anybody named Khan in it though." 

He chuckled and kissed her quickly. "Two different movies." 

"Ah," was her only response. She thought about his words and Project Sun Ray again. "So the preliminary tests you're running are really going to take a week?" 

"Of course! Why would I lie about that?" 

Faking a pout, she said, "I thought maybe you couldn't resist the charms of your new wife and wanted to take her on a honeymoon to show how much you loved her." 

He sat up straighter in his seat. "What? You know how much I love you. And it was my idea to go on our honeymoon right away even if Graham..." He stopped when he noticed the evil smirk on her face. "You're just messing with me again, aren't you?" 

"Mm-hmm." 

"You'll pay for that. Later," he grinned. 

"Promise?" 

"Promise." 

~ O ~

"Here we are Mr. and Mrs. Charles," the bellman said as he handed Chuck the card key to the room. "We hope you have a wonderful stay with us and if you need anything at all, just give us a ring." Chuck gave the young man a tip and he softly closed the door on his way out, leaving Chuck and Sarah in a honeymoon suite at the Grand Floridian Resort. 

Sarah had to smile when she saw the look of awe on Chuck's face as he walked around the room. "Sweetheart, this place is fantastic. But how did you get a honeymoon suite on such short notice?" He moved through the room and opened the sliding doors that lead out onto the balcony. "I mean, these rooms must be booked months and months in advance." 

She crossed the room and they stepped out onto the balcony together. By the time they had arrived at the hotel darkness had descended. Looking at the lights' reflections off the dark water below, she smiled enigmatically. "Let's just say I have some connections." She had, in fact, called in a couple of outstanding favors to secure a room. The look on Chuck's face told her it was worth the effort she put into making this happen for them both. 

He took her in his arms and held her close. "I'm sure you do," he laughed quietly. 

They stood together, resting in each other's embrace. Finally, Chuck asked in a low voice, "So, what do you want to do first?" 

She leaned back and gave him an amused look. 

His face pinked. "I mean, we haven't had dinner yet. I was thinking maybe we just call for room service since we're both tired and it's been a long day…" he rambled. 

"And there's a hot tub in the room…" she added. 

He grinned. "And there's a hot tub in the room." 

It was some time later that they called for room service. 

~ O ~

It was early Monday morning and Casey was preparing the kids' school lunches. It reminded him of his days in the Corp, up early with boots on the ground before sunrise. He had already awakened the kids, although there was entirely too much moaning and complaining for his taste. They were soft. The bearded guy wasn't even up yet. He was the softest of them all. 

While he worked, the kids trickled into the kitchen to get their breakfasts. They were all tired and still hadn't recovered from the excitement of the weekend. Even Martie and Megan, who were usually wide awake first thing in the morning, were yawning and moving slower than usual. 

"It's oh-seven-thirty," Casey informed them. "We move out at oh-eight hundred. Make sure you have your kit packed and your rations secured before we vacate the premises." 

The kids all looked at each other in confusion. Fred scratched his head as he turned the phrases over in his mind. His face lit up when he translated, "It's seven-thirty now and the van leaves at eight. We need to make sure we have our backpacks and lunches before we leave." 

"Oh!" they all chorused together. "Right, Mr. Casey. We'll be ready," Lizzie said. 

Looking around, Curtis asked, "Where's Uncle Morgan? Isn't he going when you take us to school this morning?" 

Casey grunted. "He's not up yet, the slacker." Suddenly, there was a gleam in Casey's eye. "You boys finish breakfast and if your Uncle Morgan isn't up by the time you go back upstairs to brush your teeth, you have my permission to use any means necessary to get him out of bed." He reconsidered his words when he saw the looks on Fred and Curtis' faces. "Except water. It makes a mess." 

Grins erupted and tiredness disappeared. All of a sudden, the kids couldn't eat their breakfasts fast enough. Even the littlest ones ate fast, wanting to get in on the fun, although Casey told all the girls in no uncertain terms that they were not to go into Morgan's room when he was in bed. Ever. He grunted when he considered what Morgan might – or might not – sleep in and he didn't want the girls anywhere near any kind of "malfunction." 

Casey stood at the base of the stairs, watching with a sharp eye to make sure the girls didn't get too close to the laggard's bed room. A small smile of approval appeared when he saw what Fred carried in his hand as he and Curtis made their way to Morgan's room. The boys quietly turned the doorknob, stepped into the darkened room and disappeared behind the door. A few second later, the silence of the house was suddenly shattered by the unmistakably piercing blare of an air horn, subsequently followed by a yell (which thankfully was profanity free), the thud of a body hitting the floor and laughter. Fred and Curtis ran out the door and slammed it behind them yelling, "Do NOT go in there! It isn't pretty!" 

The three older girls laughed and shuddered. The two little ones laughed because air horns were funny. Casey actually chuckled as he climbed the stairs to about the half-way point. "Morgan," he shouted, "you've got five minutes to get ready or we're leaving without you!" 

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," Morgan grumbled loudly. He managed to get dressed in approximately one minute and followed the kids as they bounded down the stairs and out to the van. It was exactly eight o'clock when Casey pulled out of the garage and drove down the hill towards their destinations. With military precision, the children were deployed to the schools, save Megan, who wanted to be escorted to her playground. 

What Casey really wanted to do was stay in the van while Morgan walked Megan to the playground. Instead, he somehow found himself walking with Megan between him and Morgan, both of them holding one of her hands. She happily skipped and jumped as they made their way toward the play area until she nearly came to a stop just before the gate. 

Morgan noticed her sudden reticence to move forward and asked, "Hey, munchkin, what's up?" 

Looking at a young woman standing where Mrs. Dixon usually stood, Megan said, "That's not my teacher." 

"She's probably just a substitute teacher," Morgan supplied. 

"Oh," Megan answered, eyeing the woman suspiciously. "I've heard my brothers and sisters talk about those." 

"Hold on there, soldier," Casey ordered as he took out his phone and began to whip through some pictures. "Here she is." He tapped on a photo of the woman. "Lily Johnson. Age twenty-seven. Brunette, brown eyes. Five feet, six inches, one hundred twenty pounds. Single. Graduated from Colorado College, majored in Education, subbing at this school for the last two years. Hobbies include swimming and hiking. One cat." He paused and then growled, "Registered Democrat." 

Looking up from his phone he saw Morgan staring at him. "That's pretty, uh, detailed, dude. You get that from her Facebook page or something?" 

"Or something. Mr. Bartowski pays me to be thorough," Casey replied, his tone discouraging further questioning. 

Morgan shrugged, "Whatever. You all right, munchkin?" 

His charge nodded uncertainly and slowly began to make her way toward the playground again. 

The substitute looked over and saw Megan's hesitancy. Smiling at the little girl, she said, "I'm Miss Johnson. Mrs. Dixon is gone today but will be back tomorrow. What's your name?" 

"Megan Woodcomb." 

"Well, Megan, come on in," the teacher invited, opening the gate for Megan to walk through. Before she left them, Megan hugged Morgan and waved to Casey. Once through the gate, she dropped her backpack against the wall and set off in search of her friends. 

"Is she your only child, or do you have others?" Miss Johnson asked the two men. 

"Oh, she's the youngest of seven. She has six older brothers and sisters," Morgan answered proudly. 

The young woman looked pleased. "Well, isn't that wonderful for you! She seems to be a delightful child. It's so important for children to grow up in a home where the parents are in a loving, committed relationship, don't you think?" 

Morgan nodded, beamed at Miss Johnson and then turned to Casey and smiled. 

Casey started to get an uncomfortable feeling about the whole conversation and was relieved when the bell rang indicating the beginning of the school day. Miss Johnson waved to Morgan and Casey and called out, "You two have a wonderful morning together and we'll see you in a couple of hours." She then turned to the children as they lined up before her. 

As the two men walked back toward the van, Morgan said, "That Miss Johnson is really nice. I wonder if I should ask her out." 

Casey snorted, "I think she'd be a little surprised by that." 

"Why?" 

"Because she thinks the kids are our kids, you moron," Casey growled. 

"But they _are_ our kids," Morgan argued. "I mean, they're obviously Chuck and Sarah's kids, but in a way, especially this week, they're our kids." 

Casey glared over at Morgan and said, "Think about what the teacher lady just said." 

Morgan turned the words over in his mind. His eyebrows went from being scrunched together in confusion to up near his hairline in understanding. 

"There it is," Casey mumbled. 

"Um, yeah, Casey, when it's time to pick Megan up after school, I'll go get her." 

"And I'll stay in the van," he snarled. 

~ O ~

The first couple of days of Chuck and Sarah's absence had gone well. Casey noticed that the older kids didn't seem to be overly affected by their uncle and aunt being gone since they were usually busy doing homework or playing _Call of Duty._ It was the younger two, and most especially Megan, that seemed to be having a harder time of it when the novelty of having Morgan and Casey at the house wore off. By Wednesday after lunch, the little girl was moping around the house restless and bored. He was on the front lines with her since Morgan needed to work remotely for the Buy More and Casey had already reviewed the security footage of Chuck and Sarah's day so far in Florida. The phone call he helped her make to them buoyed her spirits for a short time, but soon she was once again in a funk. 

The pair of them sat together in the living room. Well, Casey sat. With feet up on the top of back cushion and her head hanging upside down off the side of the couch, Megan sighed, "Mr. Casey, I'm bored." 

"Thanks for the news flash, kid," he said. "What do you and Miss Sarah – " 

"Aunt Sarah," she corrected firmly. 

Casey paused and blinked. He'd had drill sergeants whose orders didn't come close to having the steel present in the girl's voice. "All right, what do you and Aunt Sarah do when you're bored?" 

"Well, she would teach me martial arts, but I don't think I can flip you, Mr. Casey." 

He smirked. "We'll leave the martial arts to her. What else?" 

"Ummm," she thought hard for a moment and then said proudly, "she would teach me about being a spy. She calls me her junior agent." 

Casey's grunted, "Huh. Like what kind of stuff?" 

Still upside down, Megan waved her hands as she talked. "You know, being a good lookout, following people without getting caught, getting information from people without giving away any of your own secrets. You know, stuff like that." After a short moment, she added, "She'd play Spy Barbie with me, too. We were in the middle of a new story where G.I. Joe was kidnapped and Spy Barbie didn't know where he was and was trying to find him, but then Aunt Sarah got really busy with the wedding stuff and we haven't played in awhile." 

Casey nodded slowly, thinking, _this kid could be a great agent someday. A regular Sarah Walker, Junior._ "Go get your Spy Barbie stuff and bring it down here. It'll give us more room. We need to save Joe. Never leave a man behind." 

Megan's eyes grew and she spun around and sat upright. "Really?" she breathed. "You'll play Spy Barbie with me?" 

"Well, you move the dolls around and I'll direct the rescue mission. How's that sound?" 

"Awesome!" she cried as she jumped off the couch, sprinted up the stairs and grabbed all of the dolls and action figures involved in the current mission. She was back downstairs in two minutes and had the dolls set up just like they were in her room, only now they were deployed on the living room coffee table. Once again, G.I. Joe was sitting in a chair, this time his wrists tied to the armrests with twist ties. A Borg and Darth Vader were with him. A Dalek, a Cylon and Boba Fett, who had recently joined the Snakes, were a short distance away protecting the Borg and Darth Vader. 

Spy Barbie, Optimus Prime and Luke Skywalker were placed opposite the Snakes toward the edge of the coffee table. Apparently Spiderman and Doctor Who were not on this mission. 

"Alright, Agent Megan," the term making her wiggle with glee, "give me the full sitrep." 

Trying to be as calm and agent-like as she could – and failing miserably at it as she couldn't wipe the grin from her face – she pointed to the bad guys and started, "These are the bad guys. They're called the 'Snakes.' The Snakes have captured Joe and are trying to get the computer out of his brain." 

Casey's eyebrows shot up. "Joe has a computer in his brain? What is he, a robot or something?" 

She giggled. "No, he's not a robot. It's more like the software Uncle Chuck writes. The software went into his brain and makes it act like a computer." 

Impressed, he nodded once. "Copy." 

Megan squealed with delight. Face aglow, she continued, "Darth Vader is the leader of the Snakes. He's telling the Borg guy to get the special stuff out of Joe's brain any way they can." She frowned suddenly. "They're not being very nice about it. They've got things stuck to his head trying to suck it out." 

"That doesn't sound good." 

The little agent shook her head solemnly. "It's not. Spy Barbie needs to save him soon, or they'll suck his brains right out!" 

At that pronouncement, a corner of Casey's mouth rose just a little. "Who are those other three guys?" 

"They're the rest of the Snakes," she informed him. "Spy Barbie, Luke Skywalker and Optimus Prime have to get past them before they can save Joe. Spy Barbie just found out where Joe is. It took awhile and she was going crazy trying to find him because she loves him and wants him back. She had to fight a Cyberman to get the information. It was hard but she beat him up. " 

Casey looked at the set up carefully and asked, "What's this big open area between Spy Barbie and the Snakes? Is it grass, trees, what?" 

"It's a big pond surrounded by trees," she answered immediately. 

"Got it." He was thoughtful for a moment, contemplating the given situation. "Is Spy Barbie and her team armed? Do they have any guns or anything?" 

"Oh, yeah, only they don't want to use them if they don't have to. They're nice." 

"Mm-hmm." _Bartowski's influence._ Casey thought a little longer, a plan forming in his head. "Agent Megan, have you ever heard of something called, 'The Magnet?'" 

~ O ~

"Uncle Morgan," Bridget called from the back of the van on their way home from school on Friday, "are you sure Uncle Chuck will approve of us playing in the _Call of Duty_ tournament next weekend?" 

"Of course!" he called back. "He'll be pleased and proud." 

She looked over to her sister and asked, "Lizzie, do you think so?" 

"What, don't you trust me?" Morgan asked. 

"No!" Bridget responded instantly. 

From the driver's seat, Casey muttered, "Smart girl." 

Casey pulled the van into the garage with the kids still debating what their uncle's reaction would be to Morgan signing them up for the contest without Chuck's knowledge. They were all chatting away as they entered the house and it took them a moment to register that Chuck stood, grinning, in the middle of the living room. Backpacks were dropped as the kids called out his name, ran and hugged him. Sarah, having heard the commotion from the kitchen, came into the living room and was surrounded by hugging kids as well. 

"We missed you!" Chuck laughed, picking Martie up and swinging her around. 

"We missed kissing you goodnight!" Sarah smiled. 

Chuck's eyes danced. "We missed all the noise you make in the morning telling each other to be quiet!" Laughter filled the house. 

"We're just glad to be home," Sarah finished. 

They all sat down in the living room, Martie sitting in Chuck's lap. Sarah sat down next to Chuck and quickly found her lap occupied by Megan. 

"So, where did you go?" Fred asked. "What was the big secret destination?" 

"We went to Walt Disney World in Florida," Chuck answered. 

The two youngest girls gasped. Their reactions weren't lost on Chuck and Sarah who smiled at each other, but stayed silent about their planned spring break trip. They had both agreed that it would be better to wait until it got closer to the time to tell them about their plans. 

Lisa frowned, "An amusement park? That doesn't sound very romantic." 

Sarah chuckled, "You'd be surprised." Seeing their skeptical looks, she said, "For example, yesterday afternoon your uncle rented out an entire yacht and we went cruising together. Then, last night, he took me to a wonderfully romantic restaurant in the hotel where we ate an eight course meal. We were there for two hours." 

"Two hours! That sounds more like torture than romance," Fred groaned. 

"What do you know about romance?" Lisa shot back. Fred gave her a glare. 

Chuck winked at Sarah and said, "When I'm with my lovely and charming wife, time just flies." 

There was a mix of awwws and groans. Sarah leaned over and kissed his cheek. 

When the room quieted, she continued, "Then when we got back to our room there was this beautiful blue dress lying on the bed. Perfectly sized." Chuck and Bridget exchanged grins, remembering their secret phone call. "Your uncle changed into a tuxedo and then he took me dancing at some fancy ballroom." 

The girls sighed while the boys rolled their eyes. Her husband glanced at her with a small smile on his face and she tried to keep from blushing as she recalled what happened when they had come back to their suite after dancing the night away. The sight of him, standing in the middle of the room, wearing nothing but a pair of Mickey Mouse boxers… 

"Did you go to any of the parks?" Curtis asked. 

"Of course! We went on rides, we walked around, we ate, we did everything," Chuck answered enthusiastically. 

"What was your favorite ride, Uncle Chuck?" Martie asked. 

He cocked his head in thought. "I would have to say it was 'The Great Movie Ride' at Hollywood Studios. It had all kinds of stuff about movies. And when we were waiting in line, we got to see the merry-go-round from _Mary Poppins,_ Dorothy's ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz and the dress Maria wore from The Sound of Music. 

The girls spoke rapidly over each other, talking about how much they loved Julie Andrews, the lead actress in both _Mary Poppins_ and _The Sound of Music._

When that side conversation ended, Bridget asked, "What was your favorite, Aunt Sarah?" 

"Space Mountain," she answered without hesitation. They all stared at her. "What can I say? I like to go fast and it's a great thrill ride." She was tempted to lean over to Chuck and whisper something wholly inappropriate in his ear, but thought better of it with a room full of children and teenagers. I'll tell him later. 

He seemed to read her mind. His wiggling his eyebrows and grin made her heart pound. _How does he keep doing that to me?_

Turning around and looking up at her, Megan asked Sarah, "Did you see any princesses?" 

Sarah shot Chuck an unreadable look. "Oh, yes, we saw princesses." 

Without a word, but with a mischievous smile, Chuck stood and placed Martie on the couch where he had been sitting. He went over to his suitcase which he had left near the front door and opened it. They all turned, except Sarah who knew what was coming, and watched him dig through the stuff in his bag. 

"Ah, here it is!" he cried happily, pulling out a photo folder. The smile hadn't left his face as he opened the folder and looked at the large picture held inside. He hadn't even made his way back to the living room when the kids ran over to him and clustered around, wanting to see the photo. Even Morgan and Casey stood with the kids trying to see. Only Sarah remained in her seat on the couch, slightly embarrassed and thoroughly amused. 

An awed silence fell over the kids as they stared at the picture of Sarah surrounded by all the princess at the park that day. Sarah finally heard Martie say, "You can hardly tell which one is Aunt Sarah. She looks just like all the other princesses in the picture, except she doesn't have a fancy dress on." 

"She could wear her wedding dress," Megan supplied. 

"We did say she looked like a princess in it," Martie concurred. 

"Where do you think I got the idea for this picture?" Chuck asked the littlest girls. "It was the end of the day and the princesses were about to go home to their… castles." Martie and Megan nodded and the older kids snickered. "They were all just… there. An official Disney photographer guy was still there, so I asked Aunt Sarah go stand with them and he took this picture," he said proudly. 

They all went back to the living room and sat down. "The funniest thing was – " Chuck started. 

"Chuck, really?" Sarah asked, even more embarrassed than before. 

Putting his arm around her shoulders, he pulled her close and kissed her temple. "I can't help it if I want to brag about my wife." 

She rolled her eyes but said nothing, giving him tacit approval to continue. 

"The funniest thing was," he started again, "that on the way out of the park, just as it was about to close, a little girl about Megan's age saw Aunt Sarah and was convinced she was a princess in disguise. I don't know, maybe she saw Sarah with all the other princesses or something. Anyway, this little girl wanted her picture taken with her even though her parents insisted that Sarah wasn't a real princess." 

Megan began to frown as the story progressed. 

"Your aunt didn't want to ruin this little girl's time at the Magic Kingdom, so she knelt down and had her picture taken with this girl." Everyone except Megan smiled. "Pretty soon, there was a line of little girls wanting to have their picture taken with 'the princess in disguise.' We were there for ten minutes," he laughed. 

Sarah noticed Megan's demeanor was not jovial like the other kids' as Chuck told the story. The little girl's eyes shot daggers Sarah's direction. 

"Megan, can I talk to you for a minute?" Sarah asked. Taking the frowning little girl's hand, they walked into the kitchen where she knelt down to Megan's level. "What's the matter? That's a pretty big frown." 

Megan's frown deepened and she crossed her arms. She glared at Sarah and remained mute. 

_Okay, let's start with Interrogation 101._ "Can you give me a hint? Are you mad at me for some reason?" 

The lower lip stuck out as the pout continued. 

"Um, are you mad because we were gone?" 

Megan just rolled her eyes. 

_Great. CIA techniques don't work on five-year-old girls._ "Megan, I can't read your mind. Please tell me what's the matter." 

Sarah tried to keep the frustrated edge from her voice. 

Her youngest niece's blue eyes blazed. Sarah swallowed hard, waiting for the fury to be unleashed. 

"You had your picture taken with some other little girls," she said in a voice that conveyed hurt more than anger. 

_Ah ha!_ "So you didn't like me having my picture taken with those other girls. Can you tell me why?" 

"Because they thought you were a princess. And you're our princess," Megan's voice caught at the end. 

Sarah's eyes stung. She took Megan's two hands in hers and said softly, "Remember, you and your sisters are the only girls in the whole world who got to have their pictures taken with me when I was a real princess." 

Blue eyes gazed into blue eyes. After a moment, the glower disappeared and a small smile took its place. 

"That's my girl," Sarah said, causing the smile to widen. Sarah gave her a hug and said, "And you and your sisters are my princesses." Standing, Sarah said, "You get some cookies and I'll get a plate. Your brothers and sisters haven't had their after school snack yet." 

"That's because we were so excited to have you home," Megan reminded her. 

"Yes, and we're glad to be home." 

Just as she and Megan left the kitchen with the little girl carefully carrying the plate of cookies, Sarah heard Chuck ask, "Who wants to see their gifts from Disney World?" 

"I do!" was heard from all the kids and Morgan. Casey rolled his eyes at Morgan. 

There was a necklace for Lizzie, a Captain America t-shirt for Fred, a Mickey Mouse watch for Lisa, a Disney World football for Curtis, a Mickey Mouse handbag for Bridget, a princess backpack for Martie and a Tinkerbell hoodie for Megan. Morgan received a Marvel comic t-shirt. 

"Very funny," Casey snarked when they gave him a set of Mouse ears bought from the Germany section of Epcot, complete with a lederhosen chest strap across the front. He was slightly appeased when they also presented him with a tasteful polo shirt with a small embroidered Mickey Mouse on the chest. 

With the cookies eaten, the gifts distributed and Chuck and Sarah home, the house started to get back to normal. Casey went upstairs to pack so he could go home to his condo, Morgan and Chuck went off together for some male bonding time and the rest of the kids, save Lizzie, wandered off. Sarah couldn't help but notice the teen's body language as she sat silently, nervously twisting a random piece of string between her fingers. 

Sarah moved seats and sat right next to her. "Did everything go okay this week?" 

Lizzie stared down at the string and shrugged. "Yeah, here at home it was fine. Martie and Megan did fine while you were gone, although Mr. Casey said Megan started to miss you and Uncle Chuck." 

"Mm-hmm. He helped her call us on Wednesday and she sounded a little sad." 

Smiling a little, the teen added. "He played Spy Barbie with her." 

Sarah's jaw dropped. "Oh, I wish I could have seen that!" 

"She said something about him teaching her about 'The Magnet.'" 

Sarah considered this for a moment and then nodded approvingly. "It's the perfect solution to the predicament Joe and Spy Barbie were in, actually. I'm glad he thought of it." 

The conversation lapsed into silence, the string still twisting. "So, it's school then?" 

Lizzie released a huge sigh. "Wolf asked Amber to the homecoming dance." She snorted derisively and continued, "Amber is the biggest skank in the whole school and everybody knows it." 

"I'm sorry, sweetie." Gently rubbing Lizzie's back, she said, "Wolf's a tool." That comment elicited a teary chuckle. "You're too good for him anyway if that's the kind of girl he wants to go out with." 

Eyes stayed on the twirling string. "So what do I do now?" 

"You might cry a little." 

A hand swiped across damp cheeks. 

"And you stay the same wonderful girl you are now. The right guy will come along and appreciate you for who you are. I promise." She waited a beat and said, "If it can happen for me, it will certainly happen for you." 

An unconvinced shrug was the only reply. 

Sarah stood, offered a hand and pulled Lizzie up off the couch. 

"What you need is some ice cream," she said, putting an arm around Lizzie's shoulders. "Mint chocolate chip or rocky road?" 

"Rocky road," was the immediate and certain reply. "A double scoop if that's okay." 

"Of course! It's the perfect choice." 

~ O ~

"Thank you for staying with the kids this last week," Sarah said as she walked with Casey out to his car. "We couldn't have gone without you staying here with them." 

As he opened the car door and tossed his duffle bag into the back seat, he replied, "No problem. They're good kids. That Megan's a pistol," he grunted, although she thought she heard a hint of a snicker in the noise he made. "She'll make a great agent someday." 

She chuckled and said, "Yeah, the thought had occurred to me, too, although I'm not ready for Graham or Beckman to recruit her quite yet." 

He nodded. "Anything else?" 

"Yes, actually. Is there any new information on the bomb that was planted outside Chuck's office?" 

"Some agency eggheads did some soil analysis on the dirt that was dug up where the bomb was – something about moisture content, snow, humidity and how fast the dirt would dry out…" he waved his hand, indicating what he thought about the vexing science, "they figured out that the bomb had to be put there right around the date of the party Bartowski's girlfriend threw for him." He grinned when Sarah gave him a sharp look. 

Frustrated, she ran her hands through her hair. "It could have just before, during or even after the party," she said. "That side of the house wasn't lit up at all during the party and it's hidden from the agents in the van. We were so focused on watching Chuck's office we didn't watch the yard that closely." 

"The party would have been the perfect distraction. With everything going on, it wouldn't have been that hard to sneak over to the side of the house, plant the bomb and take off." Casey looked as frustrated by the whole situation as Sarah was. "Which means we're still stuck with the same list of suspects." 

Looking back to the house, she replied quietly, "No, I think we can cross off a couple off the list. Obviously, Jill Roberts is no longer a suspect nor is Morgan." 

Casey nodded his assent. "If the little guy peed sitting down instead of standing up, you'd have real competition on your hands." 

Sarah wrinkled her nose. "Thank you for that image, Casey. Continuing on, Mrs. Smith could still be considered a suspect. She could just be waiting for Chuck to finish Sun Ray before she makes her move." 

"So that still leaves Mrs. Smith, the yard guys, the housekeeper, the plumber who showed up in the village that one day, the pizza delivery guy, and Bartowski's friends who showed up to the party." 

"About twenty people," Sarah confirmed. "Mmm…" 

Casey looked at his partner with alarm, noting the dangerous glint that suddenly appeared in her eyes. "Uh-uh, Walker. No way." 

"What?" she questioned in an innocent tone. 

He snorted. "Bartowski may not know he's married a modern day Valkyrie, with you going all girly and googly-eyed around him, but you don't fool me. You're not dragging twenty people into 'enhanced interrogation'." 

"Oh come on, Casey," Sarah argued, "thirty minutes with each, max, and this mission could be over." _And my family would be safe._

"Nineteen innocent people, Walker. What would Chuck say?" 

She gave him a dirty look. "You don't fight fair." Huffing at her bangs in frustration, she grumbled, "And I don't get googly-eyed." 

Casey waved a hand dismissively. "Whatever. Is there anyone else we can rule out?" 

Sarah shrugged. "I'm not sure about Wolf." She sighed and said, "He may have broken Lizzie's heart, but he is still just a kid. I really hope it's not him." 

It was Casey's turn to bristle as his fists clenched and his eyes narrowed menacingly. "What's this about Lizzie's heart being broken?" he growled. "Do I need to give this kid a lesson in how to treat a girl?" 

She smiled at his protectiveness of the kids. _They've made their way into another heart, even if he would never admit it._ "No, Casey. It's fine. It sounds like she's better off without him. Although we _are_ going to need a new pizza delivery place." 

"Well, I'm going to keep an eye on that kid anyway." His scowl relaxed. "Now that you're back, I'm freed up to follow our suspects again. With Bartowski nearly finished with the software, the mole might panic and do something risky." 

"We need to stop him or her before that happens," she stated. "But until we do, we'll just keep up with our routine." 

Climbing into his car, Casey replied, "Roger that." 

~ O ~

As it happened, pizza was on the dinner menu for that evening and Sarah had to quickly find an alternative to the family's customary restaurant. No one commented on the change until Fred bounded into the dinner room and spied the boxes. 

"Hey! That's not from our regular place. Why-" He stopped short when he saw all five of his sisters glance his way. Nonplussed, he tried again, "We've been ordering from Luigi's for years. Their sauce-" Once again he cut himself off as the glances turned into glares. He looked at his brother who paused from taking his second slice and shrugged. 

"Pizza's pizza, dude." 

Quickly deciding he wanted no part of whatever had irked his sisters, Fred nodded back and slid in beside Martie, smoothly transferring three slices of the nearest pizza to his plate. 

Soon, the pizza boxes were empty and the stories flying. Everyone laughed at how many of Lizzie, Fred and Lisa's classmates acted much more respectfully towards them when Mr. Casey drove them to and from school. Apparently, he standing by the van with his arms across his chest and a scowl on his face was an imposing and somewhat frightening tableau. 

When the conversation started to wind down, Sarah couldn't help but notice the looks that passed between Lizzie and her siblings. She had been around them long enough to know when they were up to something, and clearly this was one of those times. 

"Uncle Chuck, may we be excused?" Lizzie asked with extreme politeness. 

"Yes, you may," he answered formally, stifling a chuckle. 

The kids all stood up from their chairs and quietly filed out of the room. The minute they were through the doorway, they ran up the stairs, their pounding feet giving them away. 

Chuck and Sarah looked at each other with curiosity and then both turned and looked to Morgan for clues. 

He suddenly appeared nervous and babbled under their intense gaze, "Hey, why are you looking at me? I didn't do anything." 

"Morgan," she said slowly, "what's going on?" 

Ignoring Sarah's question, he said, "My responsibilities are over now that you two are back. I'm going to go play some _Call of Duty._ " With that, he jumped up from his chair and nearly ran from the room. 

"He's in on whatever _this_ is," Chuck stated, his amusement evident as he watched his best friend flee. 

"Oh, he sure is," she replied with a chuckle. 

It was only another minute before they heard the kids thunder down the stairs again and go into the living room. Fred popped his head into the doorway of the dining room and said, "Your presence is requested in the living room. Follow me, please." 

Taken aback at his formality, they both stood. Chuck waited for Sarah to walk the length of the table, and took her hand as they left the dining room together, following Fred to where the rest of the family sat. There was an open place on the couch next to Lizzie where Fred indicated Chuck and Sarah should sit. Sarah glanced at Chuck who could only shrug. They sat down together with Sarah next to Lizzie, their fingers still interlaced. Sarah felt self-conscious as all the kids were watching her. 

Lizzie cleared her throat and all eyes turned towards her. "Aunt Sarah," she started with a smile which put Sarah somewhat at ease, "we want to give you something." She picked up a small, black velvet bag and carefully pulled the top of it open. 

Sarah tore her eyes away from the bag and looked at Chuck when she felt his grip on her hand tighten. Looking into his eyes, she was surprised to find them misty. She knew immediately that he had recognized what his niece was holding and it moved him deeply. 

Nevertheless, nervousness overtook her again as she turned her gaze back to Lizzie. 

The teenager put her fingers down inside the bag and removed a silver charm bracelet. She gently placed it in the open palm of her other hand. She swallowed hard and said in a quiet voice, "This was our mom's. It's a Bartowski family heirloom. Grandpa gave it to Grandma when our mom was born. Grandma left it on Mom's nightstand the day she left. Mom used to wear it all the time." Lizzie looked down at the bracelet and lovingly fingered one of the charms. Fred and Lisa nodded in silent agreement. 

Tears pooled in Sarah's eyes as she watched Lizzie gazing at the treasured piece of family history. "And when Mom and Dad…" 

The tears escaped when her oldest niece couldn't continue. A sniffling Chuck next to her made it even more difficult for her to keep her composure. 

Lizzie took a deep breath and swallowed again. "It was willed to me, but it really belongs to all of us kids. And we all decided," she stopped to glance at her nodding siblings, "that we want to give it to you." 

Sarah was stunned. "What? That's very generous, Lizzie, but this was your mom's. You should keep it." 

The girl shook her head and gave Sarah a tearful smile. "You're like our mom now. We haven't had one in awhile." Looking over to Martie and Megan, she added, "And some of us have never really had one at all." 

Sarah looked into each one of the children's expectant faces. They had wholly and completely accepted her as a member of their family. 

Lizzie undid the clasp and held the opened bracelet out toward Sarah. Gently taking her aunt's hand, she fastened the bracelet around her wrist. They hugged for a moment and then Sarah held her arm up so all the children could see. Happy smiles bloomed on everyone's faces. 

"Thank you for this wonderful gift." She looked at them and said, "I love each and every one of you." 

"We love you, too, Aunt Sarah." On behalf of them all, Lizzie proclaimed, "You're a Bartowski now. Welcome to the family."


	14. Chapter 14

As Saturday morning arrived, there were no glorious sun rays streaming in through windows, bathing the house with bright shafts of warming light. Rather, as the sun rose, the world around the Bartowski estate slowly lightened from darkness to gray. And it was snowing. Hard. The graupel that fell when the storm first began around midnight swiftly gave way to large, rapidly falling snowflakes. 

By the time Chuck and Sarah had made their way down the stairs together, there was already six inches of snow on the ground and the storm showed no signs of letting up anytime soon. The house was quiet except for the occasional snapping and popping of the wood burning in the fireplace. The children were still asleep, taking advantage of the snowy Saturday morning. The newlyweds would have still been asleep, too, if they hadn't just returned from Florida where they managed to adjust to the new time zone the day they left to return home. 

Wearing sweatpants and sweatshirts, they sat snuggled together on the couch under a knitted afghan. Their feet, clad in fleece lined boots, were propped up on the coffee table. In honor of the snow, they had changed up their normal morning routine. Rather than coffee, they sipped hot cocoa. 

"As much as I enjoy sitting out on the balcony having coffee with you in the mornings, this is nice, too," Sarah said softly. She took a sip of cocoa and enjoyed the feeling of the rich, chocolately concoction sliding down her throat and warming her from the inside. 

"I'm glad you like this, honey, because it might be awhile before we can sit outside again in the mornings," Chuck replied in a low voice. He looked out the window and watched the snow fall. "And by the looks of things now, we're definitely not going anywhere soon." 

"That's okay. I wanted to stay in anyway and have a nice quiet Saturday." 

He looked at her, his eyebrows raised. "Quiet? Have you forgotten, Mrs. Bartowski, that we have seven children?" 

She shoved him with her shoulder. "You know what I mean. No errands, no running around town. No wedding stuff to do. Just staying home." 

"Well, we don't have a choice about that until Fred, Curtis and I clear the driveway." He sipped his cocoa and added, "I have to warn you, though, that the kids will want to go out and play in the snow." 

Her brow furrowed. _Playing in the snow sounds kind of fun._ "What's wrong with that?" 

"Oh, nothing," he chuckled. "It's just that it takes less work to prepare to invade a small country than it does to get seven kids in snow gear. And their coming in from the outside is even more challenging. Let's just say there's a reason why the room just off the garage is called the 'mud room.'" 

Unfazed, she shrugged. "It'll be fine. What are you doing today?" 

"Besides wrangling seven snowbound children and refereeing over who gets to drive the snow thrower first? I was planning on reviewing the results of the preliminary tests I ran while we were gone last week." 

"Good," she said quietly. "We need to give Graham and Beckman an update as soon as possible. They're going to get really antsy for the software to get finished now that the wedding and honeymoon are over." 

"Who said the honeymoon is over?" he teased. 

Rolling her eyes, she snickered and kissed his cheek. 

"What are your plans for today?" he asked in return. 

"Besides wrangling seven snowbound children and getting to drive the snow thrower _first?_ " 

She grinned when he nearly did a spit take as he sipped his cocoa. 

"I want to start a tradition of having a family Saturday breakfast together," she stated. 

"That sounds wonderful." 

"I'm glad you think so." She sat up a little straighter and explained, "Once the Fulcrum threat is gone, the kids will want to start doing more after school activities and it'll get harder and harder for all of us to get together for dinner. It's important that we eat as a family as often as we can." 

His eyebrows darted upwards. "Wow, Dr. Phil. Did you read that in _Nannying for Dummies?_ " 

"Very funny," she shot back, giving him an amused glare. "For your information, it was the kids' idea," she admitted, starting to chuckle. "That first morning I was here? You remember when you came in and the kitchen was a mess?" 

His eyes danced at the memory of the flour on her face. 

"The kids were still 'testing' me as you called it and conned me into making them whatever they wanted for breakfast. They said you did it all the time for them because it was 'family bonding time.'" 

"What?" he laughed. "Those little…" 

"Hey, don't be too mad," she said, jumping to the kids' defense. She gave him a shy look and added, "If I recall correctly, that's the moment you fell in love with me." 

He brushed the imaginary flour away from her forehead and then kissed it. "Mm-hmm. But if I didn't fall in love with you then, I would have probably fallen in love with you thirty seconds later, with or without the flour." 

"Fated to happen, huh?" 

"Destiny. No escaping it." He smiled and kissed her gently on the lips. "I'm sure the kids will love your breakfast tradition." He looked past her and added, "And here comes one of them now." 

She turned her head and watched Megan, her blonde hair a tangled mess, stumble sleepily into the living room and walk directly over to where Chuck and she sat. She stood in front of them, staring at the couple, heavy-lidded. Sarah quickly got the hint and lifted up the end of the afghan, inviting the little girl to join them. Climbing up onto the couch, Megan snuggled in next to Sarah and announced, "It's snowing." 

"Yup," Chuck replied quietly. 

They sat together, silently watching the fire burn and the snow fall when Martie wandered in and nestled next to Chuck under the warm covering. One by one, each still in a sleepy haze, the kids found their way to the living room and settled down in a warm place. The afghan was now stretched to the limit of coverage as Bridget had squeezed under it next to Megan. Lisa and Curtis lay on the floor directly in front of the fire and Lizzie burrowed into the back cushions of a chair, the hood of her sweatshirt pulled up over her head. Fred was the last to join the group. Looking a little like a freezing refugee, he shuffled into the room with a blanket up over his head and pulled close so that only his face was visible. 

"I'm hungry," he announced to the room. 

"Looks like you're up," Chuck whispered to Sarah. 

"Mm-hmm." Sitting up a little straighter, she started, "I'd like to start a new family tradition." That statement was met with furtive glances and dubious looks. 

"Oh, come on," she snickered. "It's not like I'm asking for you to do a family sing-along. I just want us to have a big family breakfast together on Saturdays. I believe you called it 'family bonding time' that first morning I was here." 

The older kids winced and looked sheepishly at each other. Megan and Martie giggled. 

"Relax," Sarah laughed. "Even though you were pulling a fast one on me that time, I want to do it for real." 

"That's really not necessary, Aunt Sarah," Lizzie told her. "We're okay with just cereal." Her siblings nodded. 

"Oh, come on," she chided them good naturedly. "You have cereal every morning before school." 

The kids glanced and shrugged at each other. "Okay," they all responded simultaneously. 

"What are we having this morning, Miss Sarah – I mean, Aunt Sarah?" Bridget asked. 

"Well," she smiled, "today I want to make you the breakfasts you asked for the first morning I was here." 

"Cool! I had-" Lizzie started, but stopped when Sarah said, "I remember. You had blueberry muffins. Fred and Curtis, you both had pancakes. _A lot_ of pancakes. With bananas and chocolate chips." The boys chuckled. She nudged Megan sitting next to her and continued, "Megan had a waffle, extra syrup on the side." She looked to the other three girls and said, "Then there were the 'egg' girls. Lisa had an omelet with diced tomatoes, green peppers and melted cheese, Martie had scrambled and Bridget had fried." 

Astonished, they all stared at her. "What?" She smirked at their reactions. "I'm trained to remember details." She threw the afghan off, stood and headed for the kitchen. Chuck jumped up, too, and started out after his wife with Fred immediately taking the spot they had just vacated. 

"That's a lot of work, Sarah," Chuck said once they entered the kitchen. He took her hand and pulled her into an embrace. "Are you sure you want to do all this?" 

"Yes, Chuck, I'm sure." She gave him a seductive look. "Although I wouldn't turn down help if you offered." 

"Help my gorgeous wife make breakfast for my seven wonderful, albeit slightly devious, kids? I think I can do that." 

~ O ~

Once again, every bowl and appliance in the kitchen was used as they prepared breakfast. The kids, hearing Chuck and Sarah have so much fun working in the kitchen together, wandered in and sat at the table and watched their uncle and aunt interact. The noise level rose as the laughter increased. This had apparently awakened Morgan who soon strolled into the room just as the children finished devouring their food. 

"What'll be, buddy?" Chuck asked, standing over the electric griddle with a spatula in hand as he was in charge of making pancakes and waffles. "Muffins, waffles, pancakes or eggs?" 

"Um, all of the above?" he answered, sitting down at the table. 

"Pancakes it is," Chuck proclaimed, pouring yet more batter onto the griddle. 

"Uncle Morgan," Fred said, "do we need to practice _Call of Duty_ today to get ready for the tournament next weekend? It might be a good idea to do that especially now that Uncle Chuck and Aunt Sarah are back." There was a rustle and a thunk under the table. Grabbing his shin, Fred grimaced and cried out, "Ow!" He glared over at Lisa and growled, "Why did you kick… Oh." He looked back at Morgan, who had paled slightly, and whispered, "Oops." 

Standing at the sink rinsing a frying pan, Sarah saw Chuck stiffen as he looked at Morgan. She quickly turned off the water, sidled over to Chuck and gently removed the spatula in his hand. It was evident to her that Chuck now had something on his mind other than flipping pancakes. 

"Morgan," Chuck began in a measured and controlled voice, "what did you do?" 

"Well, Chuck, you see, I, um…" 

"Morgan, did you enter us in that _Call of Duty_ tournament?" Chuck asked, eyeing him. "The one I never agreed to?" 

Without heads turning, seven pairs of eyes shifted back and forth between Chuck and Morgan. Feeling the tension in the room, all seven kids leaped from their chairs and fled the kitchen. 

"Well, now, to be fair, Chuck, you never came out and said 'no'," Morgan tried. 

"I never said 'yes', though, either," Chuck reminded him. 

Morgan attempted to sit up straight and look Chuck in the eye, but then slouched in defeat and stared at the table. "Okay, Chuck. Yes, I signed you up for the tournament." 

"Morgan," his friend sighed with exasperation, "you can't do stuff like that without our permission. The kids shouldn't be distracted from their school work with video games. I was pretty clear on that." 

"I know, dude, but here's the thing," Morgan said, chancing a glance at Chuck. He sighed and nervously explained, "The only reason my bosses have allowed me to stay here with you as long as I have is because I…" he paused, screwed up his courage and blurted, "I promised them that the 'Bartowski Family Gamers', sponsored by the Buy More, would play in the tournament." 

At that pronouncement, both Chuck and Sarah looked at him in surprise. 

"I told them how great the kids are at the game and they're excited about getting some good publicity from it." 

Sarah flipped the now close-to-burning pancakes. 

"Besides, I thought you were okay with it when you had that second game system installed," Morgan added. 

"I did that because I thought it would be fun for us to play together as a family." 

"And Casey and I made sure that they never played until all their homework was done," the bearded man added hopefully. 

"You should have told us about your job, Morgan," Chuck said. "We never would have asked you to stay so long if it meant trouble for you." 

"I know, buddy. I'm sorry." Brightening, Morgan said, "Hey! We've already got uniforms and everything – green Buy More polo shirts with the store logo on the front and 'Bartowski Family Gamers' on the back. They're pretty cool." 

Chuck smiled ruefully, unconvinced that green Buy More polo shirts would be considered cool by the kids. "Let me talk this over with Sarah and we'll get back to you." He looked at the kitchen clock. "And I need to go check on my testing." With that, he left the room, shaking his head. 

Sarah piled the pancakes onto a plate and placed the stack in front of a dejected Morgan. 

"Sarah, please make him see how great this would be for us all," he pleaded. 

Shrugging, she responded, "I can't make him do something if he doesn't think it's right for the kids." She watched him pour syrup over his pancakes and then said, giving him a wink, "But for my wedding planner, I'll talk to him. Okay?" 

He grinned back and then attacked the pile of food in front of him. Apparently, the misunderstanding with Chuck had done nothing to diminish his appetite. 

Sarah gave her husband a few minutes alone while she cleaned up the kitchen. She took the time to think about how she felt about the tournament and all it would entail. In the end, she realized they really did need to talk it over before a decision could be made. 

Tossing a wet towel onto the counter, she left the kitchen in search of Chuck. She found him in his office, motionless in front of his computer screen, save the slightest movements of his right hand as he moved his mouse and clicked. 

"Hey," she said quietly, entering the room and sitting down in what was now designated as "her" chair. 

"Hey," he echoed softly. 

"How did your tests go?" 

He shrugged. "So far they look good. There are some minor modifications I need to do to the software, but overall I'm pretty happy with the results. I'll need to retest after the changes. That will take several more days." 

"I'm sure Graham and Beckman will be glad to hear that." 

Without looking away from the screen, he asked, "Was I too hard on Morgan?" 

She released something that was a cross between a chuckle and a sigh. "No. He was out of line, even if his intentions were good." Seeing the unsure look on his face, she added, "I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt on that." 

He swiveled in his chair and looked at her. She was surprised to see a gleam in his eye. "What is _that_ look?" she asked. 

"Is it wrong that I really want to play in this tournament?" he inquired, the sudden excitement on his face making him look like a little kid just before Christmas. 

She laughed. "Ah! The truth comes out." Smirking, she asked, "What about the kids' grades? Wasn't that the biggest roadblock to them playing in the tournament?" 

"That was the primary one, yes." He spun back toward his computer. Placing his hand over the mouse, he clicked open a browser, typed, clicked and typed again. "I looked at the kids' grades online and they're all doing really well." 

She stood from her chair and moved directly behind him, leaning over so that her head was right next to his and her arms loosely around his neck. Scanning the screen, she saw he was right. 

"So your concern about their grades isn't really an issue," she pointed out. 

"I guess not." He sounded hopeful when he asked, "What do you think?" 

She hesitated, "Well, as their aunt, I have no qualms about it. However, as their government provided protector, I'm not too sure. As for you going, I'm definitely not sure." 

She felt his shoulders sag in disappointment. 

"Sarah, you've done a fantastic job of keeping us safe when we've gone out in public and I know you would do it again. Besides, you'll be right there with us." He turned his head toward her and dropped his voice, "You _are_ on the team, you know. And Casey, too." 

Sighing, she thought about the conversation she and Casey had the day before. Although they had narrowed down the field of potential mole suspects, they didn't have enough information to move on any of them. Chuck was right in that both she and Casey would be present at the tournament, as would the rest of the security detail. She had to admit to herself that, other than the information about when the bomb was planted, nothing had changed recently and she really didn't have a compelling reason to keep them from playing. They had been out in public many times with no incidents with the mole always seeming to target the house. 

He reached up and put his hands on her forearms which were still draped around him. "You were just saying on the airplane how you don't want the kids to miss out on things that would enrich their lives." 

"Oh, so you're going to throw my own words back at me," she teased. 

"Well, what you said is true." 

She kissed his cheek. "The kids' grades might be good, but your work isn't finished, buster, and I don't think the higher ups would be very happy to hear you're at a video game tournament when our nation's security is on the line." 

"Laying it on a bit thick, aren't we Agent Walker?" he kidded as he spun his chair and so that she ended up sitting on his lap. 

She smiled her approval of his nifty chair move. "Maybe a little, but you know I'm right about Graham and Beckman." 

"Yeah, you are," he said dejectedly. "But you know, honey, we need to keep living our lives. We need to enjoy every day because we don't know what the next day will bring." 

Sarah sighed. _Someday I'm going to have to learn to say "no" to him._ "How about this? Do you think you can get Project Sun Ray finished this week?" 

"Maybe. Why?" 

"You finish the software and as a reward, you can be in the tournament." 

"Really?" He grinned and said, "You're a harsh taskmaster, by the way." 

"Mm-hmm." 

"And since when are you the boss of me?" he asked in a husky voice. 

She leaned in and kissed him. When she pulled back he eyed her appraisingly. "The minute you stepped into the house for the first time," he stated, answering his own question. 

She nodded and kissed him again. 

~ O ~

By the time the snow stopped falling late that afternoon, a large snowman replete with carrot nose had been fashioned, two snow forts had been erected and used extensively during the ensuing snowball war, turns had been taken driving the snow thrower (after Sarah had commandeered the first ride) and at least a gallon of hot chocolate had been consumed. Sarah realized that Chuck wasn't kidding when he warned her about what the mud room would look like after the kids came back inside. Melted snow dripped from the mountain of wet snow gear, causing puddles to spread across the floor. The kids, who were seasoned pros at dealing with the snow mess, covered the floor with old towels, hung up their gear to dry and changed into dry clothes. 

Sunday went much like Saturday and consisted of playing in the snow, homework, hot chocolate and Chuck keeping an eye on Sun Ray's test results. The kids had been told by Sarah that if they continued to work hard on their schoolwork during the week and if Chuck finished Sun Ray in time, they would be allowed to play in the tournament that coming weekend. Morgan was both relieved and overjoyed at the news. 

The snow started to melt away as the week began and was nearly gone by the time Thursday arrived. It was that late Thursday afternoon, with the kids working diligently at their school assignments, when Chuck emerged from his office, held his hands up over his head in victory and triumphantly declared to no one in particular, "It works! It's done! The software works and is done." 

Sarah, who had been sitting on the living room couch writing a report for Graham and Beckman, jumped up, went to Chuck and gave him a congratulatory hug and kiss. The kids, scattered throughout the house, heard Chuck and all headed his way to congratulate him and also to hopefully receive a positive verdict on the tournament. 

Assuming that Chuck would finish the software in time for the tournament, Sarah and Casey had spent most of the week reconnoitering the hotel in nearby Vail and the ballroom where the tournament would be held. They had also met with the other agents on Chuck's security detail. If they indeed attend the tournament, Agents Cole and Barker would remain in the van outside the house since the now completed Project Sun Ray was secured in the safe in Chuck's office. Agents Vegas and Barstow would be at the hotel, one positioned outside the building and one inside the ballroom. Now, as her family looked expectantly to her as the final arbiter regarding the tournament, she sighed. Realizing everyone else had lived up to their end of the bargain, it was time for her to live up to hers. 

She wanted to pause for dramatic effect, but they all looked like they were going to explode, including her adorable husband, so she said, "Yes, we can play in the tournament." 

The explosion of jubilant noise that followed her announcement nearly knocked her over. As the kids, and Morgan jumped around and high fived each other, Sarah's legs went a bit wobbly at the slow, sexy smile that crept across Chuck's face. _There's that smile again._ He took her hand and pulled her close so he could talk to her into her ear and be heard over the noisy celebration. 

"Are you sure about this?" 

She nodded. She turned, and into his ear replied, "You're always saying we have to keep living our lives, so that's what we're going to do." 

~ O ~

It was Friday morning and Sarah was, for the first time in awhile, glad to be standing before the monitor which showed the faces of Director Graham and General Beckman. 

She grinned when Chuck, who stood to her left, announced, "Director, Project Sun Ray is finished." 

"That's wonderful news, Mr. Bartowski," Director Graham boomed. 

"Congratulations on a job well done," General Beckman added, obviously pleased with the team. 

"Even if it did take longer than it should have," Graham grumbled under his breath. 

Sarah's eyes narrowed slightly at his comment, but said nothing. Casey, who stood to her right, grunted quietly. 

"We're pleased that software is finished, but it still needs to be delivered to us here in Washington. Obviously, something of this highly sensitive nature cannot be trusted to be sent electronically, even over secure channels, since we don't know how far Fulcrum has infiltrated into our departments. Therefore, it will be necessary for it to be brought here to Washington in person." Graham looked to Sarah and then Casey and said, "Agent Walker, Major Casey, you are to bring the software here." Then addressing Chuck, he added, "Mr. Bartowski, you need to accompany your wife and Major Casey and give a demonstration to the heads of our different intelligence agencies showing what the software is capable of doing. We'll arrange for a military transport plane to fly you here, so you need to make your way to Peterson Air Force Base first thing Monday morning." 

"Well, Director, I…" Chuck started and looked to Sarah and then Casey for help. 

Sarah jumped in. "Director, I'm sure you are aware that there is still one outstanding component to this mission that has not yet been resolved and that is the ongoing threat to my husband and our children. Until the identity of the mole is ascertained and the threat is eliminated, I'm unwilling to leave the children here unprotected. And Chuck certainly isn't going anywhere without me. The only way this works is if Major Casey stays with the children like he did during our honeymoon." 

"No," Graham said immediately. "I must have my two lead agents escorting the asset and the software in transport." The director growled unhappily, "Agent Walker, we seem to be in a quandary." 

"What if we deliver the software after the mole is neutralized?" Chuck tried. 

"At the rate your wife and Major Casey are going in finding this mole, it will be years before the software is delivered," Graham scoffed. 

Sarah stiffened but said nothing. She didn't want to admit it, but he was right. They still didn't know who the mole was, nor did it seem like they ever would. 

"Director, I might have a solution," Beckman said, looking at him over her shoulder. To the camera, she instructed, "One moment, team," and cut the video feed. 

The three of them were left standing in Chuck's office daring not to move or even utter a word. They could only glance at each other and wait. 

It was a good two minutes before the monitor flickered back to life. 

General Beckman leaned a bit closer to the camera and said, "We understand how important your children are to you." Turning her head slightly toward Graham, she said pointedly, "I especially understand having personally met them and know firsthand what a wonderful group of kids they are." Graham rolled his eyes and harrumphed but the general continued, ignoring him. "We have a proposal we would like for you to consider." 

"Yes, ma'am?" Sarah asked warily. 

"How would you feel if the children travelled to Washington with you next week?" The general smiled and added, "You would, of course, fly in something other than a C-130." 

"Wow, General, I… um… the kids have school, but… Sarah?" 

Chuck looked at her, dumbfounded. 

Before Sarah could say anything, the general informed them, "I think we can ensure that the children's trip to Washington will be an educational one. I can personally make phone calls to their teachers and administrators as needed." 

Sarah voiced a concern, "I, we, appreciate the offer, General, but won't bringing the kids along cause the need for more security?" 

"Yes, of course," the general replied. "Agents Barstow and Vegas will accompany you all as additional protection." 

Casey gave a small rumble of approval of the plan. 

"It seems as if you've thought of everything, ma'am," Sarah said with a slight nod. _I can't wait to see Megan's face when we go inside the main building in Langley_. 

"We accept, General," Chuck confirmed, smiling and taking Sarah's hand. "Thank you, ma'am." 

"Excellent," Graham said, regaining control of the briefing. "We'll see you bright and early Tuesday morning." 

"Yes, sir," the three replied in unison. 

~ O ~

The next day was tournament day. It was fair to say that when Chuck and Sarah's family entered the ballroom where the tournament was being held, they were noticed by all the other teams for a number of reasons. While most of the other teams consisted mostly of teenage boys and young men in their twenties, the majority of the Bartowski Family Gamers were kids under the age of sixteen, bringing snorts of derision from the other players. The snorting, of course, was interspersed with the staring, since there were also females on the team, one of which was possibly the most beautiful woman any of them had ever seen. Ever. While the twenty-somethings stared at Sarah, the teenagers stared first at Sarah, then at Lizzie, and then back to Sarah and so on. 

In addition, no one could help but notice the girls since they all, including Sarah, wore their hair in ponytails. This was done at Bridget's insistence when she argued that if the girls were going to have to wear those unflattering and ill-fitting green Buy More polo shirts, the least they could do was something fun with their hair. The fashionista had even found green and yellow ribbons for them to use to tie up their ponytails. 

"Bad news, guys," Chuck said when he returned to the group after checking in the team at the registration table. "They're being really strict about the number of players on a team." He picked up Megan and looked down at Martie and continued, "They won't let you two be spotters." At that pronouncement, both Martie and Megan scowled. 

"That's not fair!" Megan pouted. 

"It is, squirt," Chuck replied. "It's not fair to the other teams if we have ten on our team and they only have eight." 

Martie understood and her frown faded quickly. Megan was still not happy about being left out and her face clearly showed it. 

"Hey, munchkin," Morgan said, "I'm not playing either. So you and Martie can sit with me and be the cheering section. Plus, I don't want to sit by myself," he finished with mock sadness. 

Megan gave him a dubious look. 

"And…" he thought for a moment and then his face brightened, "and we can eat licorice while they're playing. They can't do that 'cause their hands are busy with the controllers." 

The pout disappeared. 

"And we can make trips to the concession stand to get food and drinks for the team while they're playing," Morgan said proudly. 

Curtis nodded, adding, "That's the most important job. You know how I'm hungry all the time and get grumpy if I don't eat." 

Martie looked up to Megan and said solemnly, "It's true. He does get grumpy. We have a job to do." 

Megan returned her sister's gaze and nodded, suddenly taking on an air of importance. 

The adults and older kids all shared amused glances at the two littlest ones' earnestness. 

"Great!" Chuck exclaimed, setting Megan back on her feet and giving Morgan a grateful smile. Looking down at the paperwork he received from the registration table, he informed them, "We're to play at station twelve." 

They surveyed the room, quickly spotted their station and moved to set up and practice a little before the tournament started. As they walked toward their appointed area, Lizzie abruptly turned her face away from one of the other gaming teams and muttered, "Oh, crap." 

Concerned, Sarah said, "Lizzie, what's up?" 

Her eldest niece groaned, "Wolf's here. He's with that team over there," she indicated with a nod of her head. 

Sarah glanced around and sure enough, there was Wolf with several other teen boys, setting up for the tournament. Nearly hanging on Wolf was a teenage girl who wore too much makeup and not enough clothes. 

"Great," Lizzie groused, sneaking a peek. "Amber's with him." 

Peering over her shoulder, Lisa looked at Amber and then quickly turned back around and snorted, "She's such a skank." 

"That's what I hear," Sarah chuckled. 

Wolf and Amber, having seen Lizzie and her family, made a beeline to the Bartowski area. 

"Hi, Lizzie," Wolf called out as he and Amber approached. 

"Hi Wolf, hi Amber," Lizzie greeted them through a clenched jaw. "I didn't know you were entered in this tournament, Wolf." 

"Oh, yeah. That's my team over there," he said, waving in their general direction. "Our team's called 'The Exterminators'," he said proudly. "What's yours?" 

"We're called the Bartowski Family Gamers," Lizzie stated, turning slightly and showing the name emblazoned on the back of her shirt. 

"Nice shirts," Amber snarked. 

When Sarah saw Lizzie's face pink at Amber's comment, she wanted to go all "Agent Walker" on the rude teen, but knew better so she tried to look busy while listening intently. 

Stepping in to defend his sister, Fred crowed, "Aren't they cool? Our Uncle Morgan works for Buy More and sponsored us for this tournament." 

"Oh, well that's too bad that you couldn't afford to pay for the entry fees yourself," Amber said sweetly. 

Sarah bristled. _Enough of this crap_. She turned around, smiled her most brilliant smile and said, "Lizzie, I'd like to meet your friends." 

Lizzie stood a little straighter and a genuine smile formed when she saw the perturbed look on Amber's face when Wolf stared, jaw hanging, at Sarah. 

Amber jabbed her elbow into Wolf's midsection eliciting an, "Oof!" 

Now grinning, Lizzie said, "Wolf, Amber, this is my Aunt Sarah." 

"Your aunt?" Amber asked, shocked. "Is she your dad's sister or something?" 

"What? No! She's married to our Uncle Chuck." 

Amber leaned into Wolf and asked in a whisper, "She's married to the dork?" 

Sarah's eyes slitted just as Chuck walked up and threw an arm over Sarah's shoulders, drawing her firmly to him. 

"Hey, guys!" Chuck called out jovially. Extending his hand he said, "I'm Mr. Bartowski, all these kids' uncle. I see you've met their awesome aunt, Mrs. Bartowski." 

"Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Bartowski," Wolf said, shaking first Chuck's hand and then Sarah's. Amber frowned at him when he held onto it for longer than strictly necessary. The frown turned into a glare when he asked, "So, uh, Lizzie. When are you guys going to be ordering pizza again?" 

"Oh, I don't know, Wolf," Lizzie replied, her eyes gleaming. "I think our tastes have changed. Right guys?" 

Her brothers were quick to back their sister up, "Oh yeah, more discerning. We need something less limp. And less soggy." 

Wolf took Amber's hand and backed away from the family, suddenly feeling outnumbered. Pointing back toward his group of friends, he said, "We better get back to our team." As they walked away, he called back to them, "Hey, maybe we'll meet you in the finals since we're in opposite sides of the brackets." And with that, they were gone. 

Casey, who had been a distance away but still close enough to hear what had just been uttered, moved next to Lizzie and said to her in an impassioned voice, "Revenge is a dish best served cold." 

"What does that mean, Mr. Casey?" Fred asked. 

Casey's blue eyes flashed when he growled, "It means we beat the pants off those poseurs and win this thing." 

That set off a round of cheers and high fives. Chuck then moved off to help the kids finish getting ready to start the first round, leaving Casey and Sarah alone. 

"Interesting that Wolf is here today," Sarah said quietly. 

"Yeah, I don't like it," Casey responded, obviously unhappy about the pizza delivery kid's presence. "We need to keep an eye on him. You got your earwig in?" 

She nodded. 

"You armed?" 

Rolling her eyes, she gave him a look like he had just asked the stupidest question in the world. 

"Right. Sorry." 

Chuck caught her eye and waved to her and Casey to join them as the tournament was about to start. 

Waving back to her husband, she said, "Okay, Major Casey, let's go capture that flag." 

~ O ~

The tournament was single elimination with the team winning two out of three games in a round in order to move on to the next. The first game played in each round would always be 'Capture the Flag', the second would be 'Team Deathmatch' and the third game, if needed, would be determined by a flip of a coin. The first round of play had been difficult for Chuck and Sarah's team as they won the first game and lost the second. They hadn't realized how much they relied on Martie and Megan to be their spotters and had to quickly adjust. By the time they were playing the third game, they were able to make the necessary changes and won the game and the round. 

Surprisingly, the second round was much easier for the team and they won it in two straight games. Taking advantage of some down time while the other matches continued, they all ate lunch. 

Despite the extra work in planning the security for the day, Sarah was glad they came to the tournament. Just seeing Chuck have so much fun was worth it all. She glanced over to him and waved as he and Morgan stood off by themselves, happily munching on hot dogs. Seeing her wave, Chuck smiled and gestured back at her with his food. 

"Hey, Morgan, how come you chose the green shirts for us to wear instead of the Nerd Herd uniforms? At least they have a little more style with the ties and such." 

Morgan shook his head vigorously. "No, dude. Have you seen how short the skirts are for the women? I didn't want our girls wearing short skirts like that." 

"Yeah, buddy, you're right." He glanced at Sarah again and his brain was instantly inundated with images of her sauntering toward him, wearing a short black skirt, a tight white dress shirt with only the most necessary buttons fastened and a necktie, the knot of which rested nowhere near her neck. 

Sarah noticed her husband's unfocused eyes resting on her and his silly half-grin and quickly realized that he was in his happy place. I wonder what I'm wearing this time, she thought, pleased at the effect she had on her husband. Smiling and staring back at him, she thought, _One of these days he's going to have to tell me about his little trips. Maybe I can go, too…_

The sound of her name being called snapped her back to reality. "Aunt Sarah," Bridget called. "It's time to start the next round." 

She took a deep breath to clear her head and grinned, having thoroughly enjoyed her very first trip to her newfound happy place. 

~ O ~

The Bartowski Family Gamers won the next round and found themselves in the championship match, pitted against none other than Wolf and his Exterminators. 

Before the first game of the match, Sarah pulled Lizzie off to the side and said quietly, "Are you going to be okay playing against Wolf?" 

Lizzie's eyes flashed with determination. "Don't worry about me, Aunt Sarah." Glaring Wolf's direction, she growled, "Wolf's not gonna be a problem for any of us. I'll make sure of that. He's mine." 

Involuntarily, one of Sarah's eyebrows arched. "Okay, then. We'll let you take care of him." 

And she did. Sarah, Lizzie, Lisa and Bridget had worked up a strategy before the first game which would allow them to take Wolf out right away and their plan worked flawlessly. However, despite the absence of Wolf, they lost the game. During the second game, the Exterminators figured out the female contingent of the Bartowski Family Gamers strategy for eliminating Wolf, so they protected him and Lizzie was unable to get their leader. It was Chuck who took out Wolf in that game, his delight shown by the size of the grin on his face. The grin appeared again when the team won the second game. 

Tied at one game each, the championship came down to one final game of "Team Deathmatch." Lizzie played like a woman possessed. She cut a swath of carnage through the enemy, taking out anyone who crossed her path, including Wolf, whom she dispatched with a grenade without a second look. It was annihilation on an epic scale and every teenage boy watching her play couldn't help but stare at her with fear, awe and admiration. Even Casey couldn't help but let out a few low whistles at the cataclysmic destruction the sweet-faced girl was wreaking. 

When the game was over, it was clear who was victorious. The head of the tournament went over to them and announced, "And the champions are the Bartowski Family Gamers!" 

A great cheer for their team rose up from everyone in the ballroom. Even the Exterminators gave begrudging applause to the winners. Chuck's team celebrated by hugging, high fives, jumping around and pats on the back. 

Finally, the revelry wound down. It would still be a few minutes before the awards ceremony would take place, so Sarah and Casey began to pick up their belongings as they prepared to go home. She directed the kids to do the same. Speaking quietly into her comm, she also instructed Agent Barstow to go outside and meet up with Agent Vegas to make sure it was clear for the family to return to the van as soon as they finished giving out the trophies. 

After speaking with the tournament organizers for a few minutes, Chuck hurried over to Sarah and whispered urgently into her ear, "Sweetie, I really need to use the little boys' room. I'll be back in a minute." 

_He's like one of the kids._ "Can't you wait until we get home?" 

He shook his head energetically. 

"Fine. But Casey's going with you," she stated. 

"I can go to the bathroom by myself." 

"I know that," she chuckled, kissing his cheek. "But it's down the hall and you're still under our protection. So Casey goes with you." 

He capitulated when her face told him she was not kidding around. 

"Casey, come on," Chuck called. "You have to come with me." 

"What? You've got the bladder the size of a walnut, Bartowski," Casey complained. "I won't need to go again for another three or four hours." 

"That's called 'too much information', Casey. And I can't help it. Martie and Megan kept bringing me drinks. What was I supposed to do?" 

Casey huffed and growled, "Come on." 

"Be back in a minute," Chuck said to Sarah, giving her a quick kiss on the lips before he headed out the ballroom doors with Casey. 

While they were gone, Sarah checked around the area, making sure they had all of their belongings together before they left. 

When a few minutes had passed, she began to glance over to the ballroom doors, expecting Chuck and Casey walk through. After the fifth time she looked that way, she became a little concerned. 

"Casey," she said quietly into her comm, "what's going on? How come you and Chuck aren't back yet?" 

Her call was met with silence. 

"Casey?" she said much louder this time, fighting to keep the panic from her voice. 

Still nothing. 

_Don't freak out._ "Morgan, stay here with the kids," she ordered. He nodded, no questions asked. "Fred, come with me." Sarah walked quickly toward the ballroom doors and Fred fell in step next to her. 

The children's eyes widened and they looked at each other with concern. 

"Aunt Sarah, what's the matter?" Fred asked, the worry obvious in his voice as they hurried down the hallway. 

"Your uncle and Casey went to the men's room and now I can't get Casey on my comm." Stopping outside the men's room door, she ordered, "Stay here. I'm going to pop in and see what's going on." 

"Okay," he replied as Sarah drew her gun and threw open the door. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the room. A couple seconds later, she yelled, "Fred! Get in here!" 

He barreled into the men's room. His aunt was standing beside Casey who was lying on the tile floor, flat on his back, unmoving. Sarah didn't see any obvious wounds and was relieved when she knelt next to him and felt the steady pulse in his neck. Glancing around wildly, she shouted, "Chuck!" but knew there would be no answer. "Stay with him!" she told Fred and then sprinted out the door and ran down the hall toward the front entrance, hoping to catch a glimpse of her husband. "Barstow!" she shouted into her comm. "Casey's unconscious in the men's room. I need you there! Now!" 

Silence. 

"Vegas!" she shouted. "Do you copy?" 

Silence. 

Coming to a stop in the hallway, she quickly considered her options. It had been too long. Chuck was gone. Spinning around, she ran back toward the men's room. She'd have to find out what happened to Barstow and Vegas later. Right now, she had to get Casey on his feet so they could find Chuck. 

When she re-entered the men's room, she was relieved to see Casey sitting up, holding a wet paper towel to the back of his head. His face and the front of his shirt were wet. 

"I threw some water on him and he woke up," Fred answered her unspoken question. 

"Good man," she replied. Kneeling next to Casey, she asked in a tumble of questions, "Who did this? Who's the mole? Where's Chuck?" 

Grimacing, he growled, "I don't know. They were hiding in the stall. Saw a blur jump out. That's the last I remember. Sorry, Walker." 

It was as if a switch had clicked inside her. She needed to find and save Chuck, wherever he was. She couldn't be the 'googly-eyed' girl Casey had teased her about becoming. Now was the time for her to be Graham's best agent, the steely eyed huntress she knew she needed to be to recover her asset, the most important person to her in the world. 

"Can you walk?" she asked him. 

She and Fred helped him stand. He was a little unsteady at first, but quickly regained his equilibrium and followed them out of the men's room. 

Charging down the hall, she informed him, "Vegas and Barstow aren't answering their comms and Cole and Barker are outside the house. Even if we call them now, they're twenty minutes from here, fifteen at the very least." 

"And that would leave the software unprotected, which might be exactly what the mole wants," Casey reasoned. 

"Forget the software, Casey!" she snarled at him. "We have to save Chuck!" 

Casey stopped dead in his tracks and stared at her, hard. "We will save Chuck. We don't need Cole and Barker. They stay at the house." 

She blew out a frustrated breath and nodded, knowing he was right. 

"We'll help, too, Aunt Sarah," Fred said as they entered the ballroom and hurried toward the rest of the family. 

"I know, sweetie. Thank you." 

As they approached the kids, she looked into their expectant and worried faces. _Crap! What am I going to tell them? And what do we do with them?_

In a low voice, she said as much to herself as to the kids, "Don't freak out, but your uncle's been kidnapped. We don't know where he is, but we'll find him and save him." 

Their gasps made her stomach clench. 

Megan stepped forward and pulled her phone from her pocket. Her littlest niece fiddled with it for a few seconds and then tugged on Sarah's pant leg. Sarah looked down to see Megan holding the screen and pointing to a red dot. "There he is." 

Relieved grins broke out on everyone's faces. Sarah caressed Megan's cheek and said, her voice catching, "That's my girl." 

All at once, everyone had their phones out, looking at their screens. "He's moving. They're headed west," Lizzie noted. 

Curtis nodded. "Looking at the rate the dot is moving my guess is they're on the interstate." 

"They've got a ten minute head start now," Sarah grumbled. "Are they on their way back to the house?" she asked, turning to Casey. 

"That would be my guess," Casey replied. 

"Okay. We'll call Cole and Barstow and let them know that they need to be on the lookout. We'll do that while we're on the move," Sarah said in a clipped voice. "We need get out of here." 

"Should we leave the kids here with Morgan?" Casey asked. 

She shook her head. "They would be unprotected. I need you with me. We all need to stay together. Kids, you're with me in the van. Casey, are you okay to drive?" 

He frowned and grumbled, "Yeah Walker, I'm okay to drive." 

"Then you and Morgan follow us in your car." 

"Copy." 

In less than a minute, they were rushing down the hallway toward the front of the hotel and parking lot. As they hurried out the front door, they spotted Agents Vegas and Barstow sitting on the sidewalk, leaning up against a brick planter, holding the back of their heads much like Casey had been doing only a few minutes earlier. 

"You okay?" Sarah shouted at them. They remained silent but waved to her signaling that they were, indeed, okay. 

"Lizzie, I need you to ride shotgun. You're my navigator. Copy?" 

"Copy," the teen responded, her face set with determination. 

"Good girl." 

When they reached their vehicles, Sarah threw open the van's side door and the kids clambered in and buckled up. In one swift motion, she jumped into the driver's seat, put on her seatbelt and turned over the engine. She didn't even bother to see what Casey and Morgan were doing as she slammed the car into gear and stomped on the accelerator. The van's tires chirped as the vehicle peeled out of the parking lot and onto the road. 

In another minute, they were flying down the interstate. Sarah glanced in her rearview mirror to ensure Casey was behind her and indeed he was. At the same time, she noticed the looks on the kids' faces. They all looked apprehensive and were obviously concerned about their uncle's safety. But there was no crying, no hysteria. They were surprisingly calm. And quiet. 

"You okay back there?" she called to anyone who would answer. 

"Yes!" came the simultaneous replies. 

"Sorry, but I have to drive fast," she said for reasons she couldn't really put her finger on. Maybe she was just trying to distract her mind from the millions of impossibly bad outcomes her brain was trying to force into her consciousness. 

"It's okay, Aunt Sarah," Martie called. "You drove really fast that other time. We trust you." 

"It would be okay with Curtis and me if you want to go even faster!" Fred said from the very back of the van. 

She smiled despite herself. 

Lizzie had been staring intently at her phone. "They've stopped." Checking and rechecking the screen she added, "They've been in the same place for a couple minutes now." 

That news didn't ease Sarah's mind at all. 

After another moment of closely examining the phone screen, Lizzie informed her, "They're a little south of us." 

"South?" Their house was due west of their current position. "Really? They're not at the house?" This new twist surprised her. 

"No, I'm sure of it," Lizzie replied. 

Six voices called out from behind her their assent to Lizzie's assessment of Chuck's whereabouts. 

Sarah's navigator looked up from her phone and watched the exit signs along the interstate. Pointing suddenly, she cried, "There! Highway 24 in a half mile! That heads south toward Minturn." Looking at her screen again, Lizzie ordered, "Take it." 

"Copy," Sarah replied. 

They were upon the exit in no time. The van, and Casey's car which followed closely behind it, quickly made the transition onto Highway 24. It was now completely dark outside and the road they traveled was not as well illuminated as the interstate. For safety's sake, Sarah had no choice but to slow the van down considerably, much to her displeasure. 

Stealing a glance at the clock on the van's dashboard, she calculated that Chuck and his abductor had been in that same position for about five minutes. At least they would catch up to them soon. 

She slowed the van down even more as Highway 24 turned into the main street of the small town of Minturn, a sign proclaiming its population of one thousand. 

"We're getting close," Lizzie advised as they slowly drove through downtown. 

"What in the world are they doing here?" Sarah grumbled under her breath. 

"Turn left at the next block," Lizzie instructed which Sarah did. The road they turned on to took them over a river and then veered to the right so that they drove parallel to it. They curved left, crossed a set of railroad tracks and the road bent to the right again. 

"Stop!" Lizzie ordered and pointed, "Uncle Chuck is right over there." 

Sarah swallowed the lump in her throat as her blood ran cold. "Lizzie, this is a cemetery," she whispered. 

In the dark, she could see the determined look in her niece's eyes. "It's going to be okay, Aunt Sarah." She heard Lizzie audibly gulp as the girl reached over and grasped Sarah's forearm. "It has to be." 

Sarah took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. 

"Now, go save your husband," Lizzie said quietly but with a fierceness that helped focus Sarah on the task before her. 

Turning in her seat, she said firmly to the kids, "You. _Stay in the van!_ " Reaching up, she flipped a switch so that the interior overhead lights wouldn't come on when she opened her door. After pulling her Smith & Wesson and a small flashlight from her bag and sticking the flashlight in her back pocket, she quietly opened the door. Just as she slipped out of the van, Morgan hurried up from behind. 

"Casey told me to come over here and stay with the kids," Morgan reported. "He also told me you're a spy! Sarah, that is so cool! My best friend and his wife, working for the CIA," he took the stance like he was going to do some cheesy kung fu. "I could totally be a spy." 

She barely kept a groan from escaping. Instead, she managed, "Morgan, just get in the van." 

He climbed up into the driver's seat and looked back at her expectantly. Just before she gently closed the van door, she said in a low yet adamant voice, "Lock the doors. And _stay in the van_!" 

~ O ~

Now that the sun was down, it was cold. Patches of hardened snow crunched under her boots as Sarah dashed over to Casey standing next to his car. Having just checked a clip, he slammed it back into his Sig Sauer, "What the hell is this?" Casey snarled. 

"I don't know. It doesn't make any sense to me, either." She pushed down the panic that was lurking, waiting to completely incapacitate her. 

_Focus, Walker. "Graham called you his best agent,_ " Chuck had reminded her of that on the airplane on the way to their honeymoon. _He needs me to be that agent now._ She squeezed the pistol grip in her hand harder. The tension in her whole body flowed down her arm, through her hand and into the gun. It seemed to fuse to her hand and became an extension of her being. Her nostrils flared and her senses heightened. This is it. It was time to end this and kill the son of a bitch who had taken her husband from her. 

They stood on the edge of a small cemetery. Surveying the area, the two agents took in a clump of trees to their left. Straight ahead were rows of upright headstones. To their right was a mostly open grassy area, dotted intermittently with fewer grave markers. 

Sarah took the phone from her pocket and checked the screen. "He's that way," she said, pointing at the trees to their left. In the dark, she couldn't make out if there was anything beyond them, but that was the direction they needed to go. 

She ran to one of the trees and stopped behind it. Casey copied her, also stopping behind a nearby tree. They ghosted from tree to tree, Sarah checking her GPS app once to ensure they were on the right path toward Chuck's location, which seemed to be in the back left corner of the cemetery. 

A few yards beyond the last of the trees she spotted a small granite mausoleum. They ran to it and pressed their backs against it. Cold radiated off the granite and the idea of what was inside the building made Sarah involuntarily shiver. She could see her panting breath leave her mouth in clouds of vapor that quickly rose and disappeared. 

Casey slowly slid along the side of the mausoleum toward its opening. "Flashlight," he mouthed. Sarah nodded, took her flashlight from her pocket, turned it on and pointed it toward the ground. Casey did the same with his. When they reached the corner, Casey fingered, "One, two, three!" 

They swiftly moved into the entry of the granite structure and raised their pistols and flashlights, illuminating its interior. They moved the beams of light around, only to find the mausoleum vacant of life. Their flashlights fell only upon several plaques attached to the walls at random intervals which indicated whose remains lay behind. Metal holders affixed next to each plaque held dusty plastic flowers. 

"Crap," she whispered under her breath, angry and frustrated that Chuck wasn't there. She pulled out her phone and checked the GPS again. "Casey, he's really close!" she whispered loudly. 

Casey put his index finger to his lips and then placed it behind his ear, gesturing for her to listen. She cocked her head. Voices! Muffled, yes, but she could tell they were close by. She and her partner peered out the entrance of the mausoleum and peeked around the corner. Just beyond their current position was a small outbuilding. A couple of pickup trucks were parked off to the left. 

In the dark it was hard to make out the features of the building and they didn't dare point their flashlights toward it fearing they might give themselves away. However, the strip of weak yellow light glowing near the ground indicated the location of a door. 

Sarah signaled that she would move to the left of the door and that Casey should go to the right. They both silently sprinted to their new positions and stood on either side of the entrance, listening again to the voices inside. 

Sarah's knees nearly buckled under her when she recognized one of the voices as Chuck's, although his sounded especially muffled. _Thank God he's okay!_ Now she and Casey just had to save him and finish off the damned mole. At least they had the element of surprise. There was a chance the door was locked and, not wanting to give up their advantage of getting the drop on the mole by the jiggling of a knob, Casey moved his body so that he stood just in front of the entrance. 

"All right, Bartowski, no more games!" the voice said loudly from inside the shed. 

Sarah gave her partner one quick nod indicating her readiness. He raised his foot, pulled his knee toward his chest and then rammed the heel of his boot into the door just above the doorknob. The violence of the kick sent pieces of wood from the door and its frame spinning away. 

The door flew open. Guns raised, Casey invaded the room first and moved to his left. Just behind him, Sarah rushed in and stepped to the right. Her gun was trained on the person who had captured her husband, but her eyes went straight to Chuck. He sat in the middle of the room in an old wooden chair. Facing them, his wrists were bound to the armrests and his ankles tied to the front two legs of the chair with rope. A handkerchief was stuffed in his mouth. As soon as he saw her, he tried to speak, but all he could do was make noises through the gag. 

"Hi, honey," was all she said. 

In the ten seconds she had been in the room, she had already processed the situation. Chuck was being held in a shed where the landscaping equipment used for the upkeep of the cemetery was stored. There was a riding mower, a couple of push mowers, several hoes, rakes, saws, bags of fertilizer and other varieties of equipment. Above Chuck's head, a single bare light bulb hung from an electrical wire. 

"Casey," Sarah whispered, her voice nearly giving out. 

"Yeah, I see it," Casey responded quietly. 

Under Chuck's chair was a bomb, exactly like the one that had been removed from outside his office window a few weeks before. 

Tearing her eyes away from the explosive device, she finally looked into the eyes of her enemy. 

"Dan? You're the Fulcrum mole?" Sarah asked her voice filled with surprise. 

"Daniel, if you please. Daniel Shaw. And yes, I am," he said proudly, showing them the dead man switch in his hand. "I was recruited by Fulcrum when they found out Bartowski here was writing some important software and that I already worked for him as one of his gardeners." He looked at them smugly and continued, "Our government has turned soft and doesn't have the guts to do what's necessary to keep us safe. We live a dangerous world, and I want to do something about it." 

_Whatever, you ass._ "So you threaten to kill innocent people and blow things up?" Sarah growled in a disgusted voice. Looking around the room again, she asked, "Why are we here?" 

"I work here at the cemetery, too, maintaining the grounds. I thought this shed would be a nice, out-of-the-way place for us to meet. I knew you would track us here." 

_He's so arrogant! I'd put one in him right now if it wasn't for that damned dead man switch._

"I also know that you, Mrs. Bartowski, are the famous CIA agent Sarah Walker and that your intrepid sidekick, here, is Major John Casey, NSA." 

"Fine!" she spat. "We all know each other now. Let's dispense with any further pleasantries." She looked back to Chuck whose eyes bored into hers. "Why is Chuck gagged?" she snarled. 

"Standard Fulcrum operating procedure is to give him truth serum to get useful information out of him." Shaw scowled. "But all he talked about was how much he loves you and some incoherent ramblings about socks. Then he started on about how you were going to kick my ass." He grimaced. "I had to shut him up after five minutes." He eyed Sarah curiously, "Your husband finds the oddest things sexy." 

She was livid. "He's not an agent, you idiot! He writes software! What kind of information did you think you would get from him?" _What a tool!_

"I did manage to find out the software is on a thumb drive in his safe. And watch that anger, Agent Walker. You don't want me to drop this switch." 

"You do it, Shaw and you blow up, too," Casey reminded him. 

"So true, Major Casey. But a true patriot is always willing to give his life for the cause. And since my hand is getting tired, let's get down to business. But first, drop your weapons. I can't negotiate when guns are pointing at me." 

They had no choice but to comply. After bending down and placing their guns on the floor, they kicked them a few feet away. Sarah's Smith & Wesson slid until it ended up next to a large bottle of weed killer. 

"And now that you're here, let's see if you can't get your husband to cooperate," Shaw said cheerfully, taking the handkerchief out of Chuck's mouth. 

"You came for me," Chuck rasped. 

"I'll always come for you, sweetie," she replied. 

He twisted his body to face Shaw. "See? I told you!" he said in a singsong voice. "And now she's going to kick your aaassssss. And Casey's here, too! Look at him! Did you know his jaw was chiseled by Michelangelo himself?" 

Casey let out an annoyed grunt. 

"Focus Bartowski," Shaw snarled, "or your wife gets blown to bits along with you. What's the combination to your safe?" 

Chuck struggled but it was obvious he was going to blurt out the information at any moment. 

"Bartowski!" Casey interrupted, an odd, reluctant tone coloring his bark. "How much do you love Sarah?" A wince appeared on his face. 

Chuck, a huge grin spreading across his countenance, launched into a spiel. "I love her more than anything else in this world," he said, his eyes gazing at her adoringly. Then he looked scandalized by his own words. "Oh, I love the kids, too, so very much. But I love Sarah in a _veeeerrry_ different way." 

"Bartowski!" Shaw interjected. 

Chuck took no notice and continued on. "There are so many things I love about my wife," he breathed. "She's warm and caring and loving. And she smells really good, too." He spun his head toward Shaw and said, "You'd be surprised at how she smells good _aaalll_ the time." He turned back toward Sarah and asked, "How do you do that, sweetheart?" He looked at her lasciviously. "I mean, you even smell good after working out when you're all sweaty and – " 

"Bartowski!" Shaw repeated, almost desperately. 

Having lost that train of thought, he picked up another. "And, boy, get her in bed and she just turns into a _tigress._ I mean, she does this one thing where she puts her – " Any other information Chuck wanted to share with the group was stopped when Shaw could take no more and roughly shoved the gag back into his mouth. 

"This isn't working. I'm going to give him the antidote." He waved the dead man's switch at them. "No funny business." Working swiftly, Shaw produced a needle and injected a green liquid into Chuck's arm. As the antidote obviously began to affect him, Shaw once again removed the gag from Chuck's mouth. 

"I love you, Sarah," Chuck offered, his head lolling to the side. 

She tried to smile, but their current predicament kept it from happening. "I love you, too, Chuck." 

"Kick his ass," he slurred as his head dropped to his chest. 

_I don't know how, but I'm gonna kill that son of a –_

"It'll take a moment for him to recover. When he does, the first thing out of his mouth better be the combination or else…" Shaw gestured with the switch again. 

Casey ventured to take a half a step closer to Shaw. "Come on, Shaw," Casey said, quietly. "You're better than this. Giving the software to Fulcrum would destroy this country." He took another step closer. "How can you live with that?" 

"Don't come any nearer!" Shaw warned him. 

"You don't want to kill innocent people, do you?" Casey said in as soothing voice as he could muster. He took another step. "Because that's what would happen if Fulcrum gets a hold of Chuck's software. Thousands and thousands of deaths on your head. More than were ever killed by terrorists." Casey could almost touch Shaw now, whose eyes were transfixed on Casey. "For what? Some murky ideals?" 

For the first time, Shaw seemed unsure. His eyes shifted back and forth between Sarah and Casey. Sarah held her breath, waiting to see what Casey was going to do. They were all at a standstill. 

Then, from a distance, like a clarion, a small but insistent voice yelled, "AUNT SARAH! I HAVE TO GO TO THE BATHROOM!" 

Surprised by the voice, Shaw lost focus, turned his head and looked to the door. "What the – " he started. That was all the distraction they needed. Casey reached out and clamped his big hand over the hand that held the dead man switch. He ripped the contraption out of Shaw's grasp, all the while ensuring that the trigger remained depressed. With the switch safely in his possession, Casey balled his other hand into a fist, reared back and punched Shaw in the face, causing him to stagger backward. 

At the same time Casey worked to relieve Shaw of the bomb's trigger, Sarah rushed over to where her gun lay. She picked it up and pointed at Shaw just as he took Casey's blow. The three stumbling steps Shaw took as he fell backward cleared him from both Chuck and Casey but put Casey's gun within reach. Without hesitation, Sarah squeezed the trigger, rapidly and repeatedly, putting three bullets into Shaw's chest. Just in case he was wearing a vest, she planted another one between his eyes. Shaw was propelled into a rack of yard implements, dark red blood coloring his shirt and dribbling from the hole in his forehead. 

Still pointing her gun at Shaw, there was a part of Sarah that wanted to empty her clip into him. Concern for her husband and family took over so she lowered her weapon, put on the safety and stuck it in her waistband at the small of her back. 

"Casey! You good with the trigger?" she asked as she rushed over to Chuck. 

"Yeah, I'm good. Get Bartowski out of here and call the bomb squad again, would ya?" 

"Copy." She knelt next to Chuck. The sound of the gunshots had roused him from his stupor and he lifted his head. His eyes were a bit clearer now as he looked at her and smiled. Her hands shook slightly as she took his face in her hands and kissed him. Reluctantly, she ended the kiss when she remembered he was still sitting on top of a bomb. _I'll show him how relieved I am a little later._

She lifted her pant leg and removed a knife from the holster strapped around her calf. The knife easily cut through the ropes which Sarah tossed to the side of the room. 

Chuck turned his head and glanced at Shaw's body. Then he turned back to Sarah, his face white. 

"Chuck, are you ok?" she asked sharply. 

He didn't meet her eyes, and instead looked back to the body. 

"Chuck, I had to do it." A note of pleading entered her voice, "You said you understood. You said it didn't matter." 

The distress in his wife's voice caused Chuck to snap out of his trance. "What? No! No, sweetheart, no. It's just that… Seeing someone killed in front of you… But, you were amazing. You saved me. And a lot of innocent people. I always knew you would do something like this only for the right reasons." 

She squeezed the tears from her eyes as she kissed him again. 

"Let's get out of here," she said quietly as she helped Chuck stand. She put one arm around his waist and pulled one of his arms over her shoulders. She made a short call to the bomb squad as they walked out of the shed together into the cold night air. Casey followed them out, but needed to stay closer to the shed so as not to accidentally set off the bomb if communication between the switch's transmitter and the bomb's receiver was lost. 

Chuck's steps became steadier as the cold air brought him fully back to his senses. They walked a good distance away from the shed and then she stopped and launched herself into his arms. She kissed him, deeper this time as relief washed through her. He returned her kiss with equal passion, his own relief evident. Hugging him tightly, she whispered with tears stinging her eyes, "It's over, Chuck. You're finally safe." 

Pressing her body to his, he chuckled, "I was always safe with you, Sarah." 

"And the kids are safe, too." The thought hit her like a ton of bricks. _The kids!_

She ran back toward the shed and Casey, Chuck right next to her. "Guys! I know you're out here!" she shouted. "It's safe to come out! Where are you?" 

"We're over here!" she heard Lizzie shout from behind the mausoleum. Racing over to it, she found all seven kids and Morgan, huddled together against the far mausoleum wall. The kids stood and encircled Sarah and Chuck in one giant group hug. 

"What are guys doing out here? I told you to stay in the van!" Sarah admonished them. 

"Aunt Sarah," Fred began, "there's no way we weren't going to be here in case you needed our help." 

All of the kids nodded their agreement with their brother's statement. 

"Seven kids. One Morgan. You do the math," Morgan quickly replied as her gaze fell upon him. 

Sarah bent down and picked up her youngest niece and held her so they could talk face-to-face. "Why do I think it was your voice I heard yelling that you had to go to the bathroom?" 

Without hesitation, Megan answered, "Because it was me, Aunt Sarah." 

"Do you have to go?" Sarah asked, confused. 

Even in the darkness, she could see Megan's blue eyes grow wide as she shook her head. "Oh, no. I don't need to go." 

"Then why did you call out like that?" Sarah asked. 

Megan put her hands on Sarah's cheeks and stared directly into her eyes. "Aunt Sarah! Haven't you ever heard of 'The Magnet'?" 

~ O ~

Sarah wanted to stay with Casey until the bomb squad and cleanup crews arrived, but he insisted that she go home with her family. They struck a compromise where Sarah stayed until Agents Vegas and Barstow, who had recovered sufficiently from being knocked out by Shaw, made it to the cemetery. 

She was also hesitant to leave because she wanted Chuck to be checked over by an agency doctor, but he insisted he was fine and that the drugs Shaw had given him had worn off to no ill after effects. At first she was skeptical, but then he proved it to her when he whispered into her ear and lied by telling her all the things he did _not_ want to do with her when they were alone together later. Blushing in the dark, she announced to all that Chuck was indeed fit and that it was time for them to go home. 

Later, everyone was subdued as they sat together in the living room. It didn't seem real that the threat they had lived under for all these months was finally removed. No one seemed to know what to say. 

One-by-one, Sarah gazed into the faces of the kids, her kids, and marveled at how her life had changed so dramatically in just a few short months. When she began this assignment, she was petrified at the idea of taking care of seven children. Now she couldn't imagine her life without them. 

Had this been like any other mission, she would have been gone by now, winging her way back to DC and her empty apartment, waiting for the next mission to come along. Now she was home, really home, with a family that needed her as much as she needed them. 

"So what happens now?" Chuck finally asked, his arm firmly around Sarah's shoulders as they sat next to each other on the couch. 

Sarah shrugged, absently fingering the charms of her bracelet. "We deliver the software to Washington next week. I'll have a meeting with Graham about my job with the agency." She sighed and looked around at them. "We'll just see what happens and go from there." 

"What if they won't let you be a spy anymore?" Lisa asked. 

Sarah smiled at her niece. "It won't be the end of the world. I've got my family now and that's all I really need." 

Grins appeared and sighs of relief were heard from all the kids. 

They sat in silence for another minute, with Sarah still fingering the charms, this time paying closer attention to them. "Chuck, about these charms…" Holding a shoe charm between her thumb and forefinger, she said, "I get that the chuck charm is for you, but what about these other ones. They don't make any sense to me." She rotated the bracelet and took a charm that looked like a sun between her fingers. "Like this one. It's a sun. Who's that for?" 

Chuck smiled and looked at the kids. "Anyone want to field that question?" 

Bridget spoke up. "The name 'Eleanor' comes from the Greek 'Elinor'. It means 'sun ray' or 'shining light'." 

Sarah's breath caught in her throat. She looked into Chuck's brown eyes. "Project Sun Ray. Ellie," she breathed. 

He simply gave her a small smile. She swiped at the wetness under her eyes and took a deep breath. 

Looking back down at the bracelet again, she said, "What about these other two? One is a silvery snowflake and the other looks like three stars joined together." 

Chuck nodded and said, "Yeah, those two are a little harder to figure out. They represent the nicknames my parents had for each other. Sometimes, my mom called my dad, 'Orion' and he called her 'Frost.'" He shrugged and declared, "I don't know why. Never asked before they disappeared." 

Sarah's stomach dropped. She'd heard those names before. They were legendary in the agency. "Sweetie, I can tell you why." She couldn't believe the words she was about to utter to her husband. She looked him in the eyes again and said, "Those were their code names. They were CIA agents, specializing in undercover work. Only the very top brass knows their real names. Your mom went on a mission and never returned. Your dad went looking for her. No one knows what happened to them." 

He laughed at first, but his amusement quickly died away when he saw the look on her face and realized she wasn't kidding. "Sarah, you're joking, right?" 

Her countenance remained thoughtful. 

"You're not joking." 

Grabbing his hands in hers, she pressed her lips together and shook her head a couple of times. 

"No one knows what happened to them?" he asked, his voice stricken. 

She shook her head again. "It wasn't for lack of trying," she added quickly. "The agency looked for them for years. But after awhile, they had to stop… They'd been gone for so long…" 

Shifting forward in his seat, he said softly, "Sarah, I need to find out what happened to my parents. Will you…?" 

"Of course, Chuck," she replied. 

Turning, Chuck and Sarah looked into the faces of their children and said, "Kids, we have a new mission…" **Hunt Every Bad Guy** (reprise) (Sung to the tune "Climb Every Mountain") 

She found the bad guy  
 She shot the mole  
 He went one step too far   
His head now has a hole. 

She found the bad guy  
 Shaw was the spy  
 Put a gleaming bullet   
Right between his eyes. 

She now loves a guy  
 And he's known as her Chuck   
Every day of the year   
They are going to…love. 

Climb every mountain   
Ford every stream  
 Follow every rainbow  
 Till you find your dream.


End file.
